As the 'Gate Turns
by Annerb
Summary: The smallest things have the power to change everything. Will one moment of weakness alter the Galaxy forever? (SJ) Complete! (Alternative Season 8 Series). Beware fic Spoilers in the Reviews!
1. Time is of the Essence

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Time is of the Essence  
Author: Annerb  
Warnings: Minor language  
Summary: A gate malfunction strands Jack and Sam, can they hold it together long enough to be rescued or will recent events drive them apart?   


Classifications: Series, S/J Angst, Sam/Pete, Drama, Action

Season: Season 8, up through End Game (AU from there) 

Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author. 

Author's Note: The title of what has turned out to be a series is in reference to a thread on the SciFi Stargate bboard (I can't for the life of me remember whose thread that was, give me a shout out if you see this). We were laughing about the soapiness of the show and bemoaning Pete. This is the result of my what-ifs. It started out as a satisfactory way to deal with Pete without killing him or making him evil and it took off from there. I had no idea it would go on so long! It's a series, but there aren't really any cliffhangers, just like episode after episode in my own little future universe.

Feedback: Always appreciated! I tried to be as canon as possible, but who knows!

_**Part 1: Time is of the Essence**_

"Hey. It's my prerogative, right? It's one of the good things about being General, and I say that I go. Anyway, I haven't been through the stargate in almost 2 months! Don't want to get rusty." Jack stretched his arms and patted his P-90 almost fondly.

Sam glanced up from her calculations, "I think I've almost got this configured right. We should be able to get a connection."

"Great." Jack rolled up onto the balls of his feet and surveyed the rest of SG-1. "Are we ready to go then?"

Daniel and Teal'c exchanged glances, both bemused by Jack's poorly disguised glee at finally getting to go on a mission through the 'gate again. It seems that being The Man hadn't curtailed any of his more adventurous impulses. When Sam finally called her calculations done, the reunited SG-1 all geared up and waited in the gateroom for a successful dial.

"So, tell me again what is so exciting about this particular planet?"

Daniel sighed and explained once more to Jack, "This is one of the addresses we found from the Ancient tablet. Therefore, possible Ancient goodies and no Goa'uld."

"Ah. Yes, it's all coming back to me now," Jack replied, all the while wondering where that mission report could be in that pile on his desk.

"Not to mention, sir, that we have been unsuccessfully trying to dial this planet for the last few days and I have only just managed to configure the dialing computer to-"

"Yes, yes, Carter, I get it. Now can we get on with it?"

"Yes, sir," answered Sam, with enough barely disguised exasperation to get an eyebrow from Jack. Sam quickly signaled the tech to start the dialing to avoid further discussion. Secretly she was wondering if he still didn't trust her with command of SG-1, but didn't really want to bring the issue up.

Jack, as if he could almost read her mind, gestured for Sam to take the lead up the ramp after the wormhole engaged. He closely followed behind her, literally jumping through in his excitement.

Just as Teal'c and Daniel reached the event horizon, however, the wormhole disappeared, taking the forward half of Teal'c's staff weapon with it. Teal'c lifted the still-smoking end of the weapon up for closer inspection. Daniel glanced from the missing wormhole to the baffled-looking techs and muttered, "Well, that can't be good."

* * *

Jack and Sam experienced a much rougher than usual ride through the gate, both being expelled at a rather alarming rate down the stone staircase at the base of the gate. Both momentarily dazed, they lay groaning for a bit before Jack regained his equilibrium enough to shout, "Nice job getting those calculations just right, Carter!"

Sam didn't bother to reply, she was too busy staring at the severed end of a staff weapon. She quickly sat up, looking around for Daniel and Teal'c, already suspecting that they had not followed. Sam picked up the weapon piece and called Jack's attention to it, "Sir." Jack glanced at the staff and then began surveying the ground near the stargate.

"What are you looking for, sir?"

"Just making sure that Teal'c's hand isn't around here somewhere."

Sam seemed to blanch at the idea, but quickly regained her composure. "I am sure that they weren't still in the wormhole when it disengaged," though she still seemed to be pondering the stargate with a curious look on her face.

"I am sure you're right, so lets dial it up and head home so we can figure out what happened."

Sam nodded and headed for the DHD, while Jack surveyed the surrounding landscape to watch for any sign of unfriendlies. It quickly became clear, however, that the stargate was going to be incapable of getting a lock.

Jack looked back over his shoulder at her, "Don't tell me that we can't get back." Sam decided that silence would be the better answer and wandered around the base of the gate to find the MALP that they had sent through an hour or two before SG-1 had traveled through the gate. "I think maybe I can use the MALP to get some readings, maybe figure out what might be interfering with the gate lock." Jack absently nodded and continued to survey their surroundings.

The gate was in the middle of a small clearing of golden brown grass that was completely surrounded by thick forest. There was no evidence of buildings or structures of any kind, only a slightly worn path through the clearing that was small enough to be an animal trail of some kind, rather than a human road. The sky was what really caught Jack's attention, however. It was a milky sort of light orange color that seemed to be made up of liquid.

"I don't understand it!" Sam's exasperated cry brought Jack's attention to her. She was kneeling by the MALP with the casing pulled off of one side.

"What's up, Carter?"

"The MALP's battery is completely drained! It's only been here an hour or so, that should have taken days." Jack accepted this new piece of bad news and nodded upwards. "You ever see a sky like this?"

Sam distractedly looked up, only to make a comical sort of double take, "Never…" Jack was quick to cut her off, as she was beginning to get that I'd-love-to-get-a-closer-look-and-study-this-new-and-interesting-thing look on her face. "Well, we have established that we have no wormhole and no MALP. I suggest we take a survey of the surrounding area, check for people or anything than can help us. I am sure that SGC will dial us up as soon as they can."

Sam wasn't as sure; if they couldn't dial out, it seemed improbable that the SCG could dial back in. Plus, there was still the nagging unease about an inexplicably drained battery and a bizarre sky that seemed to be dimming and becoming more sinister by the moment. She shrugged off her apprehension, however, and followed Jack into the trees.

They spent two hours surveying the area with no sightings of any people or structures. It seemed to be nothing more than an endless line of trees; the only noticeable landmark had been a small lake with a sandy beach, so at least they had a water source. They made it back to the gate as the sky darkened to a deep purple color. No stars were visible. Neither of them were willing to admit that the planet gave them the willies.

"Well, we might as well set up camp. We can take four hour watch shifts." They broke out blankets and some rations and settled down for a night of waiting. As the sky lightened once again, they returned to surveying the area, after trying unsuccessfully to dial the gate again. This pattern continued for several more days and Sam spent some time in the afternoons pulling apart the DHD, hoping that the problem was fixable from their end.

After two weeks on the strange planet, they began to run low on supplies and Sam was running low on ideas. Neither of them voiced the nagging fear that no one was coming from them and that they might not be able to fix the gate. The temperature during the day was rapidly rising, however, so they decided to pull back to the shade of the trees where they set up a slightly more permanent camp.

They easily fell into a schedule, Sam spending her days working to get their technology working, Jack working on survival. He collected and split wood for the fires, and set up snares to catch animals (which, weirdly enough, mostly tasted like chicken). In the evening, Sam brought water to camp and helped prepare whatever Jack had managed to catch or collect.

After they had finished eating and clearing away, they would sit quietly around the fire, sometimes talking about this or that, often revisiting memorable missions. At first Sam had filled the evening with endless technobabble, as Jack would call it, detailing everything that she was attempting. As time passed, however, more often than not, they would simply share a companionable silence, while they both thought of the people and things they had left behind.

"What thing do you miss most, sir?" It was a game they sometimes played, 'if you could have one thing here to make everything more bearable,' and such.

"Well, I don't miss my paperwork," Jack quipped.

"Probably would make a nice fire, though."

"Tempting."

"What I wouldn't do for some coffee…or a naquadah generator."

"You and your gadgets," he shook his head at her.

"Well, what about you?"

He shook his head again, "You'd think it's silly."

"Come on, try me."

"I miss stars…" he confessed wistfully.

They both silently looked up at the empty, looming sky, just another reminder that they were a long way from home.

* * *

"Damn it, Damn it, Damn it!" The disgruntled yells broke the silence of the forest and were quickly followed by the distinct sound of a piece of machinery being chucked into the lake.

"I hope we didn't need that," said Jack mildly as he came up behind his crazed Second-in-Command.

Sam simply glared at him and put her head in her hands as if trying to drown out the sound of something. "I simply cannot get anything working and to top everything else off, I have the annoying voice of Rodney McKay running through my head!"

At Jack's raised eyebrows, she quickly added, "Not literally of course. I just keep hearing him harp on me for overstepping the programming of the DHD and ignoring warnings from the stargate. I should not have kept trying to dial this planet and accepted that it was off-limits. But I was once again so into wondering if I _could_ get it to work, that I never thought of whether I _should_ make it work! And now look where we are! Stuck on some empty planet for the rest of our lives!"

"Well," Jack said as he sat down next to her, "I guess it could be worse, you could be stuck here with McKay."

Sam rolled her eyes in a very unprofessional manner. "Yeah great, so I could hear him calling me 'dumb blonde' for the rest of my life."

"Dumb- huh?" Sam laughed at Jack's surprised look, as if he was wondering what he was if Sam could be considered a dumb blonde.

"That's right, you were running around with Maybourne when that little sparring match happened. Bastard."

"He actually called you a…" Jack seemed incapable of even saying it in Sam's presence. "I knew he was a git, but come on. Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Sam shrugged. "We were all a little too busy getting Teal'c back. Anyway, he was getting sent to Russia, I figured that was punishment enough. Though now it looks like I have proven him right." Sam sighed and collapsed back on the sandy bank, hands covering her eyes.

"Well," Jack said evenly, "This place isn't _so_ bad. Kinda reminds me that planet I had my nice little vacation on with Maybourne. Minus the crazy weed, of course. Yup, that lake looks full of fish ready for me to not catch them."

Sam peered out at Jack from between her fingers, wondering at his tone. "You aren't thinking of accepting that we are really stuck here are you?"

"Well, a man has to retire somewhere and you are certainly better company than Maybourne." Sam wasn't sure if that was really a compliment, but her heart sort of annoyingly skipped a beat at his mention of retirement and its implications. What would it really mean for them to be stuck here together forever? Would it be so bad? Before her thoughts could get too far away from her, Jack's voice intruded. "But, then again," he continued, "I will never doubt the ingenuity of a geek, a Jaffa or a crazed astrophysicist. I am sure some way will open itself for us to get back."

"I miss them," said Sam, the sound muffled through the hands covering her weary face.

"Yeah," replied Jack as he stared out over the lake, "me too."

* * *

When they had been on the planet for three months, Sam officially gave up on the DHD and the MALP, mumbling something about not wasting any more energy on it and began to help Jack with the hunting and gathering aspect of their lives. Even without the technology to work with, their days were still filled with the duties of just trying to survive. They weren't exactly in danger of starving, but neither were they exactly feasting. It's amazing how much you take the conveniences of modern life for granted until suddenly it takes a good hour just to get drinkable water.

One day Jack had left his wood chopping duties to see what was taking Sam so long with the water she was supposed to be bringing back to camp. He scanned the edge of the lake and almost missed her, nearly hidden as she was sitting on a rock a short distance from the shore. Jack headed over to see what she was up to. As he got closer, he noticed that she was staring at something in her hand, her knees hugged up to her chest. When Jack finally realized what it was, he attempted to silently back peddle and give her some alone time, but he managed to snap a branch as he retreated. Her head jerked up, looking at him with a sort of lost look in her eyes. _Damn, Jack_, he thought, _so much for all that stealth training_.

"Hey, Carter. Didn't mean to bug you. I'll just see you back at the camp later." He started to retreat back again, but her voice stopped him.

"No, Sir, it's okay, really. I was just…thinking…" Sam's hand closed around the diamond ring sitting in her palm. He was a welcome distraction from the disturbing thoughts she had just been having.

"You miss him." It was a statement, not an accusation, as if he was trying to let her know that it was okay.

"Yeah," Sam hesitantly replied. At least she should miss him, shouldn't she? She had been sitting here, searching for a purification pill to put in the pot of water when her hand brushed against cold metal and hard stone. She had pulled it out and visions of Pete had come to her, unbidden. It was with complete shock that she had realized that she had rarely, if at all, thought of Pete over the last three months. She had been trying to make excuses for why that didn't mean anything. They had, after all, been quite busy just trying to survive not to mention trying to find a way off of this planet. But doubts still nagged at her. It she had a choice, would she rather she was stranded here with Pete? Or does she really prefer the way things are, here, with Jack? _How easily I could accept this as my life if I had to,_ she thought. Pain in her hand brought her back from her musings. She had been gripping the ring so tight that she was sure there were marks on her palm.

Jack observed Sam with a blank expression on his face. Watching her face, Jack was convinced that her anguish was a product of her missing Pete and that the hesitation in her reply was due to her discomfort in discussing such issues with him. They were both still for a while, staring out over the lake. Then Sam broke the silence. "Let's get this water back to camp." And so they walked back together, each deep in their own thoughts.

* * *

Less than four weeks later, they were both surprised to wake up to a transformed world. They stood together, staring out of the mouth of the cave they had set up in as home base. While they had both been aware of the changing color of the leaves in the trees and the marginal cooling of the temperature, neither of them were prepared for the overnight change from fall to full-blown winter.

Typically, it was Jack who finally broke their stunned silence. "Damn, and I didn't pack my skates," he groused quietly as he stared out over the frozen lake whose beach was now completely buried under a foot of soft snow. Sam had to smile at the image of Jack skating like Brian Boitano that came unbidden to her mind.

Jack aimlessly wandered out into the wintry world, silently cataloging what they would need to be able to survive the season. Survival would become that much harder. Not that he had necessarily given up on rescue; he was just practical enough to prepare for a long winter. Sam watched him walk pensively near the shore of the icy lake, knowing that he felt the weight of taking care of both of them, no matter how much the idea of being 'taken care of' appalled the independent Sam.

As she watched him slowly pacing the beach as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, a plan began to percolate in Sam's mind. Later, she would claim that she had only acted to relieve the tension of being stranded. She was making sure that they kept their mental health by providing relief through exercise. Sam would deny the truth, which was simply that she was feeling incredibly mischievous and that the snow made her feel like a child at Christmas.

Jack wasn't ready for the first hit of soft snow. She had aimed well, the assault made contact right at the collar of his jacket and he could feel the quickly melting slush running down the neck of his shirt. Not the most pleasant of feelings. He was momentarily stunned that Sam had actually hit him with a snowball, but thoughts of revenge quickly overrode any other inclinations. _You are so gonna get it_, he mused quietly.

Jack turned around and glared at Sam, who was now doing a good impression of an innocent schoolgirl, her eyes wide with faked confusion as if she was trying to say, 'Where ever did that come from?' "Colonel," Jack barked out in his most Generally voice, "what exactly do you think you are doing, assaulting a superior officer?"

The tone of his voice automatically made Sam sort of snap to attention, even as her eyes still glittered impishly. Just as she had opened her mouth with what was surely going to be a scathing retort, her face was unexpectedly filled with snow that had been expertly formed and thrown by her black ops trained superior officer.

The scene quickly went downhill from there, each taking up strategic positions and building armories of snowballs. It is a rare and amazing thing to see two high ranking military commanders use all the skills at their disposal to launch snowball attacks. In the end, however, all their tactical planning saved neither from ending up soaking wet, shivering and laughing like a couple of loons. If anyone from the SGC could have seen them, they would have sent them straight to see Mackenzie.

The craziness of the scene did not escape the notice of either Sam or Jack, but they were just both grateful that the rising tension had been broken. It had been a long while since either of them had really laughed like that, clutching their stomachs and wiping tears from their eyes. Eventually the cold drove them both back into the cave to warm up and dry out, but they went with a much lighter step than they had been able to muster for the last few weeks.

* * *

Jack's evaluation of the new situation was right on track, unfortunately for them. Food became even scarcer as the snow piled up around them. Winter on this planet seemed to mean perpetual blizzards punctuated by a few still days where the sky was clear and the temperature plummeted. On such days, they would check and reset their traps, their boots crunching on the glistening snow. The traps were barely catching enough to survive on, however, so Jack and Sam would take out their P-90s and try to track larger game. Luckily, Jack had some experience hunting out in the woods of Minnesota as a kid. Sam had been much more likely to have her head stuck in an engine somewhere, but she quickly learned the basics from Jack. Seeing as hunting animals required the same sort of stealth it took to avoid a pack of Jaffa from finding you, they were a good team. Unfortunately, there was simply not a whole lot of game to be found.

They were out for the fifth time in three weeks. The last two outings had been a bust and they were both dreaming of steak at this point. But you know what they say, if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again. They were taking advantage of a break in the weather to search in an area on the far side of the lake that they hadn't explored much. They spent a long day slinking in between the trees.

Just as Jack was going to call it a day and retreat back to the relative warmth of the cave, he spotted movement of to his left. Sam noticed it too, and Jack signaled her to circle around, while he stayed in front of the animal. Jack took a second as Sam softly padded through the snow to be impressed at the way they were able to read each other's minds still. They made a good team, always had. He quickly placed his mind back on the strange-looking animal; it looked sort of like an overgrown rabbit with four spindly little legs. It might be ugly, but he was sure it tasted great.

Jack was just getting the animal in his sight, thinking _dinner's on, _when blood chilling sounds reached his ears. There was a resounding crack, a startled shout and then a splash of water. Jack was at a dead run towards Sam's last position before his mind even connected the dots. _Dammit_! They had been so distracted by their hunger and the prey that neither of them had noticed that they had circled around to the shore of the lake. By the time Jack made it to what he assumed was the shore, the small hole in a sea of ice and snow had already thinly frozen back over.

Jack rushed to the break in the ice, not even pausing to think about the structural integrity of the rest of the ice. He smashed the butt of his P-90 to break up the newly formed ice. Putting his weapon aside, he reached into the waters, groping for any part of Sam. Not caring that he might drown as well, he dove into the frigid water and searched for any signs of Sam. On his third attempt, just when he thought that he would share in Sam's watery grave, his hand brushed against cloth. Winding his hand around the object, he found himself holding Sam's arm. In a Herculean effort, he dragged both of their water-sogged bodies clear of the cracking lake surface.

Dropping Sam to the ground, he carefully listened for any sign of breathing. His fingers found no pulse at her arctic throat. "Dammit, Sam, don't do this!" Jack ordered as he began to administer CPR. He pounded away at her chest and tried to ignore that her lips were blue as he filled her lungs with much needed oxygen. One, two, three, four, five, breathe! Over and over, he didn't know how long he continued beating at her chest. At one point her heard a snap and was pretty sure he had cracked one of her ribs. But none of that mattered when, after what seemed a lifetime to Jack, Sam began to sputter and cough. "Thank you, thank you," Jack whispered to anyone who might be listening. Sam was breathing again and a pulse, though weak, did beat steadily.

Jack didn't allow himself too long for relief, for other problems were beginning to set in. The sun was rapidly dropping with the temperature, they were both soaked with icy water and they were on the far side of the lake from their shelter. Jack picked up the still-unconscious Sam and began the long trek back. Every step was pushed forward as he silently listed survival points in his head. Get dry, get warm, get dry, get warm. It was fully dark when Jack finally came within sight of the cave, its entrance a murky blot on the cliff wall.

Heaving Sam into the cave, he quickly turned to rekindling the fire, before turning back to Sam. Her clothes would have to go, or she would catch pneumonia. He put water on to heat and then removed Sam's clothes, his heart squeezing painfully at the blue, clammy skin that was revealed. He gently laid her down on a blanket by the fire and wrapped her tightly in an emergency blanket. Once he had gotten her to drink a little heated water, he sat back down by the fire. He reached out a hand to gently touch her face, relieved to see that her lips were beginning to lose their blue tinge. Jack's adrenaline began to drain away. _I'll just rest here for a second_, he thought as he lay his weary body down on the other side of the fire.

* * *

The first thing Sam became aware of was a loud gonging sound, like someone was trying to knock the walls down around her. As she slowly managed to crack open her eyes, however, she was staring at the ceiling of a cave and realized that the pounding sound was actually just her pulse beating at her temple. Every heartbeat hit her head like a sledgehammer. She quickly became aware of two other facts as she struggled to sit up, first off, her chest felt like an elephant had been sitting on it, and second, even slightly more disconcerting, she was completely naked underneath her silvery emergency blanket. As her eyes came into focus in the dimly lit interior, she could see her clothes laid out carefully around what had once been the fire, but was now a smoldering pile of ashes. As her head vibrated at a particularly annoying beat, she remembered the horrific sound of cracking ice and the numbingly cold shock of the water as it enveloped her. She could not remember anything after that.

Sam shivered and wondered why the fire was almost out. She got unsteadily to her feet and tied her blanket toga-style around her, as her clothing was still damp. She intended to throw some wood on the embers when she noticed Jack lying with his back to the fire on the other side. Since he seemed to be sleeping on the job, and had most likely fished her out of the water, she quietly reached over him to get to the pile without disturbing him. As she leaned over, however, she became aware of his shivering and his damp hair. _What the-,_ she thought to herself. She almost cursed out loud when she touched his shoulder to find his uniform icy and soaked to the touch.

"General?" She shook his shoulder, but he simply continued shivering. "Of all the…" Sam was pissed, and freaked out as she realized that he had fished her out, got her dry and warm and then passed out without doing anything for herself. Luckily for both of them, Sam's training kicked in and she started making a mental list of everything to be done. She quickly stoked the fire back up, and then set to the task of removing Jack's wet cloths. She was brisk and clinical about it, not letting her eyes stray or even letting herself pay attention to the body being revealed. Truth be told, he was shivering and quite pale, and inside she was too freaked out about the paleness of his skin and the redness of his face to be thinking of anything else. Once she had removed his cloths and laid them out to dry next to hers, she wrapped him in all the blankets they had with the other emergency blanket on top.

The blankets and fire did not seem to be helping, however, and the spreading redness on his face made her fear that he was getting feverish. She was no doctor, but she knew this could not be good. How could she treat something like pneumonia out here on this wilderness planet in the middle of winter all by herself? Just keep him warm, was all she could think and so she climbed under the mound of blankets next to him and silently willed him to hold on.

Jack's temperature was finally warming up after a few hours, and the violent shivering had begun to dissipate. The alarming redness on his cheeks did not disappear, however, and the dreaded fever began to rise. He did regain consciousness in the early hours of the next afternoon, though.

"Carter."

Sam's head swung around at the sound of that weak voice and scrambled to his side. "Sir, how do you feel?"

"Oh, just peachy," came the weakly sarcastic voice. "Just what in the heck is going on?"

"You have a fever," Sam replied in an accusatory voice. Jack eyed her, wondering at that tone, but not really feeling up to getting into it.

"Uh…Carter…where are my clothes?" He wasn't sure of it, but he thought that she might have blushed a bit at his question.

She gestured towards the clothing laid out carefully by the fire. "Sorry, Sir, they aren't quite dry yet."

"Ah…yes. You know, Carter, that was a really bad idea."

Sam looked up at this statement and replied somewhat defensively, "What, trying to keep you from freezing to death?"

"No," he said weakly, closing his eyes again, "I meant taking a winter dip in the lake."

He stayed conscious long enough for her to get him to drink some water and take some meds to lower his fever, but by nightfall, he had dozed off again and he began to get quite delirious. While he mostly just tossed and turned, trying to get the blankets off of him, he also became quite agitated, yelling for Charlie, seeming to relive his worst moments. Sam had to just sit by, trying to get him to drink water and keep his temperature down with cool cloths.

The delirium just seemed to get worse and worse and by midnight of the third night, even Sam's training seemed to be deserting her. She thought that she could not handle anymore of his raving diatribes, but soon realized that it was even worse when he fell quiet, his breath rattling slowly in his chest. At one point, sitting there in the middle of the night, all alone and feeling completely responsible with nothing but Jack's wheezing filling the silence of the cave, she began to lose it. She kneeled down by Jack and started whispering to him.

"Please, Jack. Just fight, don't give up now. You can't leave me here all alone." Her voice broke over all the unspoken things and she finally let the tears that she had been holding in since she first woke up fall freely. She began mumbling her own sort of litany, "Please Jack, don't leave me. I need you. Please." She wasn't sure how long she had sat there, pleading with him, but late into the night, she felt his hand grab onto her arm. Jack was staring up at her, in what seemed to be a moment of lucidity, his eyes momentarily clear. He softly said her name and pulled her close; and for once, Sam didn't pull away.

* * *

Sam woke to the feel of warmth radiating against her back, slowly becoming aware of the feel of an arm wrapped around her waist. She lay still for a moment, unwilling, for once, to think about far-reaching consequences. She instead wondered what had woken her from her slumber. The cave was full of what had become familiar sounds; the hiss and pop of the fire, the faint wheezing coming from the man beside her, and the soft sounds of wind and falling snow outside the opening of the cave. She carefully disentangled herself from Jack's arm and sat up, taking in her surroundings. The fire needed some more wood added, she noted silently.

She turned her attention to her commanding officer. He seemed to be worse again, his face an alarming red color, his breath a weak rasp. The logical soldier in Sam began to steel herself for the seemingly inevitability of being stranded here alone, even as the woman in Sam still clung to hope. She reached across their packs to get more water for Jack when she heard the almost forgotten sound of static and a distant voice. She froze, arm still reaching, breath caught in her throat. Her heart thumping away, she strained her ears and stared disbelievingly at her vest. Her radio sat nestled in the discarded garment. It was the only one left with any battery power at all. They had decided to leave one on at all times, even though they knew the batteries would not last forever. Jack's had died two months earlier, and Sam's was barely hanging on by a thread on the last pair of batteries they possessed. Now, as she stared at the black box blinking benignly at her, it seemed that it _had_ been more than a fool's wish.

After what seemed to be hours to Sam, but couldn't have really been more than 10 seconds, a distant voice came in. "Jack? Sam? Can you hear me?" Sam took a moment to glance back at the motionless man by the fire before she grabbed her jacket and the radio and rushed out into the snow. A silent litany ran through her head, _There is still time…there is still time… _All she could think of was that voice, and the salvation it could offer the man in the cave who sat on the edge of death.

"Daniel? Please come in!" Her voice was breathless and desperate, but it was music to the ears of the three men standing in a small clearing by the stargate. Daniel gave a brief smile of relief to Teal'c and Jacob before answering.

"Sam, thank God. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am fine. But, the…General, he's in really bad shape, we need to get him out of here. We are two clicks, 35 degrees southeast of the stargate."

"Got it. Can you manage to head towards us? We only have 65 minutes left in our departure window." Daniel hoped Sam wouldn't ask for an explanation, not only was it still unclear to him, but they _really_ didn't have the time.

"Understood." Sam no longer sounded lost, but had resumed her military demeanor, now that there was a task at hand. The three men trudged into the dense forest as fast as they could, while Sam dashed back into the cave. She glanced around at the area that had become their home for the last five months. There would be no time to collect their belongings and it didn't really seem to matter. Sam grabbed a pack, threw in their weapons and technology. She shrugged into her vest and then turned to bundle Jack into his clothing.

Jack was far too out of it to be of any help and Sam had a hard time managing his dead weight in the snow. Somehow, she hoisted him to his feet and half dragged him away from the cave without a glance back at what had been. Her ribs protested with every step, but she kept putting one foot in front of the other, unknowingly repeating the same desperate flight that Jack had taken four days previously.

She walked nearly half a mile on pure adrenaline and determination when she heard her name on the wind. "Over here!" she yelled, suddenly aware of the stillness of her companion. She laid him down on the ground as she heard the crunch of snow and crashing of brush as their rescuers hurried towards them. Jack's breath came is short gasps. "Jack, just hold on. You were right; they came for us. Just hold on."

He opened eyes burning with delirium and perhaps something else that Sam couldn't, wouldn't identify. He attempted to reach for her. "Sorry…Sam…" he rasped. His eyes closed again, but the grating breath could no longer be heard.

"Jack! No!" Sam grabbed his jacket and uselessly shook him, willing him to keep fighting for each breath. She looked wildly up and screamed for Daniel, Teal'c and her father. Suddenly they were all around her, touching her with warm hands, voices sharp and incomprehensible. Sam was only half aware of what happened next as her exhaustion, both physical and mental, shut down her mind and body. There was a bright light and a soft hum in the air and then strong arms carrying her. After that, there was just blackness.

Sam groaned softly as she awoke, uncertain if she had fallen asleep or if they had given her a sedative. She cracked open her eyes to see Daniel sitting next to her, his forehead creased with worry. He smiled softly at her when he realized she was awake. As everything came back to Sam, she bolted up, looking around her. Daniel's hands stilled her movement and gently pushed her back down.

"Shh…Sam, everything is okay. We are in a ship the Tok'ra lent us." He read the questions in Sam's eyes and cut her off before she could ask them. "Jack's stable for now. Jacob used a hand device to clear his lungs, but he is still very weak. We are going to get him back to the infirmary as soon as possible. We are heading to the closest planet with a stargate, that will get us back in eight hours instead of three days."

Sam settled back, seemingly satisfied with the information. She let out a long breath that she felt like she had been holding for days. It was Daniel's soft hand on her arm and quiet question that finally brought the tears. "Sam…what happened out there?"

Sam just shook her head and let the tears fall as she stared at the ceiling of the Goa'uld vessel. Daniel had rarely, if ever, seen Sam loose her composure and was surprised to find that her weakness unnerved him. Daniel had become accustomed to drawing strength from Sam's unflappable demeanor. She had always taken pride in her strength and had gone to great lengths to stamp out anything that might be seen as weakness for fear they would blame it on the fact that she was a woman. But here, for once, she seemed to be laid bare and Daniel had to wonder what had happened on that planet. Sam's face was wan and she had lost quite a bit of weight. She looked gaunt and tired. Daniel was saved from further musings by the arrival of Jacob, who wordlessly gathered his daughter in his arms and held her close.

An hour or so later, Sam had regained her composure, finally secure in the fact that they had been rescued. She simply had to believe that they would get to the infirmary in time and that they could clear up Jack's infection. She hugged her father one last time and then got up to get her bearings in the ship. It was of standard Goa'uld design, the same kind she had been in numerous times. She had been laying in the cargo hold. Jack was stretched out on the other side of the room, with Daniel sitting by his side. Sam quickly glanced away, finding it too difficult to think about him at the moment. Jacob must have noticed the look on her face, because he considered her for a long moment before squeezing her arm and reassuring her that he would be okay. Sam simply smiled, even as the gesture felt like it would break her face into a million pieces.

Sam turned towards the front of the hold where Teal'c was piloting the ship. He glanced up at her as she collapsed into the other chair.

"SamanthaCarter, it is good to see you again." His face, though stoic as usual, betrayed to Sam his worry and his relief at finally finding them.

Sam nodded and began to obediently eat the food Jacob insisted she eat. "You're skin and bones," he observed.

"Well, Dad, I _was_ stuck on a planet for five months with limited supplies, not to mention a blizzard that didn't want to let up."

The raised eyebrows of both men did not go unnoticed by Sam. "What?"

"You say that five months have passed since you first traveled through the gate."

"Yes, Teal'c, five months. I don't think that we went quite crazy enough to lose track of time completely."

A look passed between Jacob and Teal'c. Sam was beginning to lose patience, aided by an increasingly throbbing headache. "Does this have something to do with why the stargate wouldn't work?"

"Teal'c, bring up a visual of the solar system the planet was in." Teal'c nodded and prompted the ship to bring up the proper image.

"If you remember, Sam, you were having a hard time getting a lock on the planet. You did finally manage to get through, but the wormhole was only stable for under two hours. The wormhole collapsed before Teal'c and Daniel could get through. They tried for two days, but were unsuccessful at getting another wormhole to connect. Meanwhile, they had managed to get a hold of me and I offered to fly them to the specified planet to see if we could figure out what was going on. When we finally got here, this is what we found." Jacob gestured up at the screen. Sam looked up to see an image of a one-star solar system with three planets circling it. This in itself was not too interesting or different than anything else Sam had seen, what was amazing was the orange pool that engrossed the entire solar system.

"What…" The normally verbose Sam was too drained and too surprised to put into words what she was wondering.

Jacob seemed to understand, however, as he shook his head and said, "We don't know what that substance is. It is unlike anything we have encountered before. It seems to be some sort of liquid-gas and is most likely what caused all of our problems." He pointed out the orbit of the planet furthest from the sun. "This is the planet that you were on. You will notice that the planet's orbit actually barely leaves the substance at one point here. We hypothesize that this is where the planet was when you gated in. The planet's orbit must have taken it inside the cloud once again right after you made it there, which interfered with the lock afterwards."

Sam nodded, processing all of the information. "But why would it cause problems? Matter of any kind does not interfere with the creation of wormholes. The only thing that would really block the establishment of a stable event horizon would be…" She trailed off, eyes widening.

"Time," Jacob supplied. "Somehow the substance creates a time-space bubble inside of which time travels at a different rate, and the difference is enough to disallow the creation of a stable wormhole."

Tael'c and Jacob could both see the wheels spinning in Sam's head. Jack had always said that she was the only person he knew that you could actually _see_ thinking. She seemed to be running through the probabilities of such an event and how it would affect the programming and function of the stargate. After about 10 minutes of silent musing, she glanced up at the two men regarding her. "How long was it for you?"

Jacob glanced up at the map again. "During the time you were on the planet, it completed one half of its orbit. Here, on the other side, the planet nearly breaks out of the substance again, enough for us to grab you both in the ship and take off again. We had to be quick, however, we didn't want to risk getting stuck on that planet for another half rotation and the planet was nearly back in when we got here." He looked at Sam again, watching her process this information. "From what you have said and what we have observed, inside the cloud it took five months to orbit halfway around the sun. To us, it was much shorter."

Sam looked him steadily in the eyes, "How long?"

Jacob sighed, "To us, Sam, you have only been gone six days."

* * *

Upon returning to the SGC, the doctor had confined Jack and Sam to the Observation Room for quarantine regulations as they had both been living on a strange planet for months, as least as far as they had perceived. They couldn't be sure what strange bugs they could be carrying. Daniel decided to go to the upper observation room to keep Sam company. At least they could talk through the speaker system; being stuck in a room alone with a comatose Jack couldn't be all that entertaining or healthy. Jack had yet to regain even a moment's consciousness, and even though no one had said as much, it seemed that the longer he stayed that way, the worse it was. There were brief discussions of brain damage, but the prognosis seemed to be wait and see when or if he wakes up.

As Daniel jogged up the steps to the upper room, he saw that Pete was standing at the window staring down into the room, his posture somewhat rigid and motionless. Someone must have called him and got him a special pass to come in to see Sam. Daniel stepped up beside him, saying "Hey Pete, what's…" Daniel trailed off as he saw the scene below them.

In all honestly, it was innocent enough, one teammate concerned for the welfare of another. After all, SG-1 was as close as people could be, seeing as how they had risked their lives together for more than seven years. But there was just something… _intimate_ about the two people down in that room. Jack was still unconscious with IVs and monitors hooked up to him, but Sam sat in a chair next to his bed. She had taken one of Jack's hands in both of hers and rested her forehead against the clasped hands. She was so still and it looked almost as if she were praying or silently urging Jack to win this fight.

Pete seemed to finally notice Daniel, turning to him with a face completely devoid of emotion. He looked at Daniel for a moment, as if searching for what Daniel thought about what was going on down in that room, but Daniel wouldn't give him anything. Perhaps sensing this, Pete simply walked past Daniel and out of the mountain. Sam never even knew he was there.

* * *

"Carter."

The low, rough voice woke Sam from her light slumber on the edge of Jack's gurney. She lifted her head to find herself staring into the blurry eyes of a conscious Jack O'Neill. They sort of looked at each other for a moment, Jack disoriented and Sam disbelieving. Then Jack cracked a smile that really looked like a grimace and said, "Carter, you look like hell."

Sam half laughed, half sobbed in relief, managing to shoot back at him, "Well, you don't look so hot yourself, Sir." Sam looked at Jack for just a moment more, almost reaching out to touch his face, just to assure herself that he was really okay. She struggled with deciding what to say and what not to say. Still undecided, she just gave him an intimate smile and got up to call for the doctor.

The doctor came in, "Ah, I see you are finally awake, General. Nice to have you back." He tried to school his features, but Sam could see relief that the General was finally awake.

"Good to be back, though I don't really remember getting here." He rubbed his hands over his face in a characteristic gesture of fatigue. "In fact, I don't think I remember much after jumping into that stupid lake."

The doctor laughed. "I'm not surprised, General. You had a dangerously high temperature. You practically cooked your brain, so I think a loss of some memories is a small price to pay."

Neither of them noticed how Sam had paled while listening to their discussion and she had schooled her features once again by the time the doctor turned back to her. They were kept in the Observation Room for two more days to clear quarantine and then Jack was moved to a private room for recuperation and Sam was cleared to go home.

Sam didn't seem to want to leave the base. She organized her lab, caught up on the paperwork sitting on her desk and bugged Daniel to give her the readings for the planet for her to analyze. He strictly refused, even at the threat of bodily harm. Daniel was eventually desperate enough to narc Sam out, and so she was summarily called to Jack's sick bed to get an order from her commanding officer.

"Carter, what in the world _are_ you still doing here? Am I going to have to have you thrown off of the base?" Sam didn't reply, though Jack thought she looked near mutinous. He plowed on anyway, noting as he did how thin she looked. He hadn't really noticed their weight loss as it slowly happened during those long months. But now, here, under the harsh florescent lights of the SGC, she looked sallow and ill and he felt a pang of guilt that he couldn't have figured out a way to take better care of them both. Of course, she would kill him for that thought alone. He almost smiled at her imagined anger. "Look," he said in a softer voice, "I know we have both been through a lot and that it may be hard to decompress, but honestly, Carter, you still look like hell. I know that you have vacation time, take some days, relax." He remembered with a pang the anguish on her face that day he found her with her engagement ring. "Go see Pete."

Sam had looked sharply at him and Jack mistook it as a warning to not talk about her personal life. "Don't make me make that an order," Jack said, closing his eyes and feigning fatigue to get her of his room before he changed his mind.

And so, Sam made her decision and finally left the base, returning to her dark house and sorting through her stack of mail. Once every inane chore had been completed, she still felt restless, confused and, if she was being honest with herself, devastated. It was hard to believe that with everything that had happened, only ten days had passed since she was last in her home. To her it felt alien, far too open and quiet. She was also not used to being alone, which was kind of funny seeing as how she was stranded on a planet with only one other living person. Now she stood in her house, knowing that there were probably a dozen people within screaming distance and yet she felt completely and utterly alone.

Jack's words still echoed in her head, cold and empty, "Go see Pete." And so she went, seeking whatever solace she could find. When Pete opened his door at her knock, all he saw was the woman he loved, inconsolable and looking like hell. He guided her in to his home, all other things forgotten.

Sam stayed at Pete's for a week, sleeping late, eating a lot of food and generally letting Pete take care of her. Pete had managed to finally convince himself that Sam was merely recovering from being stranded in the wilderness, separated from her friends and family. After all, it was to _him_ that she had come to recover no matter what he thought he saw.

After a week off, Sam returned to the SGC and SG-1 returned to active duty. To Sam, it felt good to get back to her standard routine and being with Teal'c and Daniel again felt right. So, SG-1 traveled through the gate, some standard first contact runs and only one run-in with the Goa'uld, where they had been held hostage for less than a day. All in all, nothing out of the ordinary. Everything at the SGC seemed to have fallen back into pattern, at least as much of one as there ever was.


	2. FallOut

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Fall-Out  
Author: Annerb  
Rating:  Minor language  
Summary: In the aftermath of her time stranded with Jack, Sam clings to her dreams of a 'perfect, normal life' with Pete and the SGC personnel lay bets as to whether there will be a wedding.   
Classifications: Series, S/J Angst, Sam/Pete, Drama  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Here's part 2 of my little soap opera, hope you enjoyed the first part. This is my answer to the "Pete Problem."

Feedback: Always appreciated! I tried to be as canon as possible, but who knows!

_**Part 2: Fall-Out**_

Tongues had a real reason to wag about a month after Jack and Sam's return from the wilderness planet. Sam began openly wearing her engagement ring around the SGC and rumor had it that she had finally picked a date. Wedding pools were organized, giving odds on different elements of the wedding, from would it ever happen, to whether or not the General would go to it. If Sam was annoyed by the constant whispers or curious eyes that watched her whenever she was speaking with Jack, she didn't let it show. All in all, she was acting just like a bride-to-be was supposed to, anxious, excited and happy.

There was also no outward reaction from the General, though rumors circulated about a three-day alcohol binge that ended with a bar brawl and something about jell-o wrestling. No one was really sure about the validity of that, but they enjoyed hypothesizing nonetheless. As the date finally neared five months later, Sam was seen with a constant big, flashy smile on her face (which seemed a little weird to those that really knew her) and, if you paid careful attention, Pete became quieter and quieter and at the parties leading up to the wedding, he could be seen giving Sam long, measured looks, as it he was trying to figure something out.

* * *

The guys were standing together outside a small courtyard by the side of the Church. They were each quite a dashing sight, Jack in his dress uniform, all traces of last night's binge erased and Daniel and Teal'c in tuxedos (It had been a bit difficult to find a suit big enough for Teal'c, but they had managed somehow). Cassie was wandering around nervously somewhere else looking beautiful in a red bridesmaid dress that matched the flowers and the guys' bowties. Together the four of them made up Sam's "bridesmaids." No one had thought to comment on the untraditional make-up of the bridal party. The other members of SG-1 were, after all, Sam's best friends in the whole world.

Daniel glanced at his watch again; noting that the wedding should have began 20 minutes ago. The Church was full, and the sound of milling voices could be heard out in the corridor where they were all standing. "Where _is_ Jacob?" muttered Daniel, more to himself than as if he actually expected an answer.

"I am sure that JacobCarter will soon ascertain the whereabouts of PeteShanahan," offered Teal'c. None of them voiced what they were really thinking, which was _Where the hell is he?_ and _How could he do this to Sam?_ Jack had nothing to offer, though he was beginning to get that I'm-gonna-shoot-someone-soon look. Time continued to drag on, and the guys just continued to stand outside the courtyard, all aware of the woman sitting alone on a bench inside, looking amazingly beautiful in her long white dress and veil.

Jack gazed at the vulnerable figure, wanting to offer comfort, knowing that it probably wouldn't be all that welcome. As the wedding date loomed nearer, Sam had put distance between them and Jack had let her. It was her prerogative, after all. Jack tore his eyes from her and instead began to imagine all the ways he could kill that bastard Pete, which was a lot, he had, after all, spent a great deal of time in black ops.

Just as he was imagining all the creative uses of an ordinary ballpoint pen, Pete came into the corridor. He went straight up to Daniel, probably because he seemed to be the least threatening of the three.

"Where's Sam?" he asked brusquely, with the air of a man wanting to get something he dreaded out of the way. Daniel simply pointed into the courtyard and Teal'c put a restraining hand on Jack's perceptively stiffened shoulder. Pete gave Jack a quick glance and then ducked into the courtyard.

* * *

Sam sat on the bench in the courtyard, absently fiddling with her skirt. Her mind was racing, thinking all at once how she wished her mother could be here to fuss over her and to tell her daughter how beautiful she looked, and how proud she was. _Would she be?_ wondered the small voice in Sam's head. Yes, Sam reassured herself, this is a perfect wedding. I am finally focusing on myself, just like Dad said to me on the Prometheus, I am giving myself a chance to be happy, to be with someone who loves me. Pete was great, but Sam was not unaware of the lateness of the hour. She refused to believe that sweet, dependable Pete would leave her hanging. _I hope he is all right, that he didn't get called in for some emergency. _

Sam was not unaware of the irony of that idea, after all, people at the SGC had been having a great time betting on whether or not the wedding would ever take place. What were the chances that the world wouldn't need saving on that day? Some people must have lost money, though, for the weeks running up to the wedding had been unbelievably quiet and free of emergencies. Sam almost half suspected that the General had called up everyone and ordered for no problems to happen.

Sam looked up at that point to see her honor guard standing a short distance away. Teal'c looked calm as ever, though Daniel was peering at his watch as if he was unsure that it still worked. She tore he gaze away before she could look at Jack, not willing to let her thoughts travel to what she had long since designated off-limits. She had included him in the wedding party for many reasons, not only because he was one of her best friends and wanted him to be here, but also because she thought that it was somehow a test that she was passing. Almost as if she was proving that she had finally managed to push him out of her heart, that she had completely moved on at last.

Before that annoying, small voice in the back of her head could argue with her, she saw Pete coming into the courtyard. She gave herself a moment of relief, wondering at the continued anxiety she felt before she stood up to talk to him.

"Pete, you know you aren't supposed to see me before the wedding," she started playfully. The look on his face stopped her, though. "Pete, is there something wrong?"

He took a moment looking over Sam in her gown, thinking how beautiful she looked. For once, though, he didn't let himself get side tracked. He took a deep breath and said, "Sam, you know that I love you and that I want to be with you forever." Sam mutely nodded, wondering where this was going.

"There is something, though, that has been nagging at me for months. I tried to ignore it, push it away, but I just can't go through this without knowing for sure." Sam looked up at him, expectantly, while her heart pounded away in her chest. "Why are you marrying me?"

Sam almost laughed in relief. He was just getting cold feet and needed some reassurance. She smiled at him. "Oh, Pete. You know why I'm marrying you. You are wonderful, so kind, funny, and you take such good care of me." She touched his hand, "I love you, Pete, you know that."

He didn't smile and grab her hand like she thought he would, however. He pulled away and continued. "Really, Sam? Because I don't think so. I've been thinking about this a lot. I think that you like being with me and I think that you are content, but could you ever _really_ be happy? I love you so much, and thought that maybe that could be enough, but the more I think about it, the more I force myself to really pay attention and face reality, I can finally see that you are not really all here with me. You never were."

He paused there, but Sam was too much in shock to really say anything before he continued on, "To be brutally honest, Sam, no matter how much I love you, and no matter how much it would kill me to lose you, I think I deserve more than being settled for."

Sam's eyes grew wide at this last statement. "Pete, no. You're wrong. You do make me happy, why do you think I am marrying you!" She took both of his hands in hers, "Come on, Pete. This is just cold feet. Let's go get married." She ardently refused to hear the little voice in the back of her head that was now trying to scream in protest. _I am strong enough to make this work_, she railed back at the voice, _I deserve happiness!_

He was so tempted as he always was, to just push aside his doubts and let himself be with her. But he refused to budge this time, maybe it was the finality of marriage or maybe he was just finally waking up. "There is one thing you can do, Sam, that will make me believe you."

Sam looked up at him, clutching his hands, "Anything."

"Tell me that you don't love him."

She didn't need the slight jerk of his head in the direction of the corridor to know who he meant. And Pete didn't need an answer as Sam's face lost all color and the resolve that had been holding her together for the last six months finally broke, _So close!_ Sam sat back down on the bench, head bowed as she wept in utter defeat, because she knew, no matter how much she wanted this normal life, that she could never lie about that and part of her knew that Pete deserved more than being lied to.

Pete closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, willing himself to be strong enough to do what was best for both of them. He leaned down, kissed Sam on the top of the head and said, "Goodbye, Sam." He turned and left the courtyard before his resolve could leave him. He paused by the curious group of men by the door, and without looking at any of them said, "Take good care of her." He then disappeared down the corridor, away from the Church. They all looked at each other in shock and then as a one turned to stare at the lone figure, wearing a beautiful wedding gown and weeping.

They gave Sam a couple of minutes, but none of them could stand to see her there all alone, so they soon went in as a group. Jack had a feeling that he shouldn't really be there, so he stood quietly behind Teal'c and Daniel, keeping his expression neutral.

Daniel kneeled down, offering Sam a handkerchief. She mopped her face, but refused to look up at any of them.

"Sam?" Daniel asked gently, there had already been an unspoken agreement between them that Daniel would handle the talking, he was better at this stuff anyway.

She abruptly stood up and walked a short distance away from them. With her back to them she said, "I wonder if there was a pool for whether or not I would get left at the altar?" The voice was horrible to hear, sad, defeated and self-mocking.

"Sam, is there anything…?" Daniel was wondering if maybe Pete had just succumbed to a case of cold feet. As if she had heard his thoughts, Sam continued on, in the same horrible tone. "No, Daniel, this charade is finally over," she said, roughly pulling off her veil. "He was right, he does deserve better."

"What!" Jack had forgotten his resolve to remain silent as his rage at Pete for hurting Sam boiled to the surface. "He said that to you? Now I _am_ going to kill him."

"Yeah, that would make everything _much_ better." Now Sam was beginning to sound angry, which was slightly better, because they were not used to seeing Sam weak. "I can't believe I was ever so stupid to believe that I could have a normal life! Get married, be happy, yeah right!" She wadded up her veil and threw it into the small fountain at the center of the courtyard.

Daniel seemed at a bit of a loss and Jack thought that Teal'c almost looked a little intimidated by Sam's rage. Jack bit the bullet and reached out to touch Sam's shoulder, "Carter-" He didn't get to finish, though, because at the sound of his voice and the touch of his hand, she whirled around, he eyes blazing. "No! _You_ don't get to touch me; _you_ don't get to console me!" Jack was momentarily stunned by the accusation in her eyes and the anger in her tone.

Sam stared at him and seemed to visibly deflate, the anger leaving her eyes, leaving nothing but vulnerability. "Please," she whispered, "please just leave me alone." Jack stood for a moment, gazing at her, before turning and leaving, fleeing the accusation and pain in Sam's eyes. Daniel and Teal'c quietly followed, leaving Sam alone with her broken dreams and her broken heart.

* * *

Sam wasn't sure who told all the guests the news that there was not, in fact, going to be a wedding, or who took care of returning all the gifts and paying the caterers. Frankly, she didn't care. She had already planned to take two weeks vacation from the SGC for the honeymoon that was supposed to follow the wedding and she used them, though not for the trip she originally had planned. Instead, she fled to her brother's house in San Diego, slipping away without word to anyone. Seeking to get far from the wagging tongues of the SGC, the glances of worry and pity and the memories that haunted her, she had fled that same day, dress, flowers and plans abandoned. Her father had come to see her the first few days in San Diego, so she knew they knew where she was, but her friends were letting her be.

Her family was also great at giving her distance. There were no questions, no discussions about Pete, just space and support. It was still a horrible, empty time, however, as it provided her with endless time to think about what she had done. She wasn't really sure where she had gone so wrong or how she had gotten to this place. She did know, however, that she wasn't angry at Pete. He had probably done them both a favor in the long run.

She was having a hard time remembering why she had pushed so hard, so quickly for the wedding. Pete had been content to wait, but she had been like something possessed the last five months. She had somehow become convinced that if they just got married, that everything would be okay. Marriage would decide everything, there would be no more questions, no more decisions, no more what ifs.

She guessed that maybe that was the real issue, the need to escape beneath the shield of Pete to keep herself from really dealing with everything that had happened. She was so obsessed with something that could be considered normal, something that could be all hers. _Poor Pete_, she thought, for it had become clear in the days after that she had been using him to hide in, to separate her from everything else, and that she never really loved him as much as he loved her.

_I just wanted to forget_, she admitted to herself, when she was finally ready to be honest with herself. _I wanted to forget what it felt like to be with him. _That truly was the crux of the issue. She had finally let herself taste the forbidden fruit and it had scared her to death. Pete was safe, comfortable and easy. She could be with him and stay in control. But what she had felt, that one night with Jack, it was overwhelming, and she had sensed that it had the power to destroy her. _Coward!_ accused the voice in her head, and she knew that it was right. She had thrown herself into a wedding to a man that she didn't love, trying to drown out what Jack couldn't even remember.

She flinched as she remembered her anger at Jack after the wedding, so convinced that all of this was his fault. At the time, it seemed like it was, but now she knew that it was all on her. She had always been the one to run away. Jack was the one that always stood by her, he was even ready to stand by and watch her marry someone else because he thought it would make her happy. Sam was the one who would let anything get between them, any excuse she could come up with, all to avoid the feeling of the loss of control. She _was_ a coward and she wondered, as the last of her vacation days slipped away, how she could ever face any of them ever again.

* * *

Jack sat at his desk, staring at a report he was supposed to be reading. To be honest, he was more hiding than working, which is what he did a lot of these days. People were trying not to be obvious, but he constantly felt eyes boring into his back wherever he went inside the SGC. Everyone was curious as to what had happened, but nobody more so than Jack himself. He spent that time hiding in his office thinking over the last six months, trying to pick out any signs of strange behavior from Carter, wondering what had caused such a display of anger and accusation at their last meeting. Neither Daniel nor Teal'c ever mentioned the whole affair to Jack, though he suspected that they would like to say something.

Jack was convinced that he had missed nothing. He knew he hadn't seen as much of SG-1 over the last six months as he usually did, but he still had meals and briefings with them almost daily. Carter seemed to have been genuinely happy. Had it been an act? He thought he knew Carter well enough to tell if she was faking it. _Not if you didn't want to believe it_, thought an annoying voice in the back of his mind. Why wouldn't I want to believe it? I may not have liked that Pete guy much, but if he had her happy, then that was good enough for me. As far as her work at the SGC, there had not been any especially stressful missions, other than the one short time spent in captivity right after they got back from that planet. Sure, we also both almost died on that planet, but that wasn't the first time, nor, he feared, would it be the last.

And so Jack sat, hiding in his office over those two weeks, wondering what had really happened, all the while feeling like there was something that he had missed.

* * *

Sam had been home for less than two hours when there was a knock at her door. She automatically stiffened, being unable to think of a single person that she didn't dread seeing. She sighed and resolved herself to awkward conversation.

She opened the door to find Daniel, looking almost as uncomfortable as she felt. Surprisingly, his discomfort made her smile, and she remembered how much she had missed all her friends. She reached out and gave him a hug, and his perceptible relief at a warm welcome made her feel guilty.

She pulled back, "Daniel, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go all bridezilla on everyone."

He smiled, "Don't worry about it, Sam. I think everyone understood. We were just worried about you."

"I know." Sam invited him in and they settled on the couch, and Sam was once again relieved at the familiar feeling of comfortable friendship. Daniel wasn't here to judge her or even grill her for information, though she was sure he had questions.

"How's everything in the Mountain these days? Everyone going to town over the exciting new gossip?"

"Of course, you know how it is. Though, I am sure that most people are just curious. They want to know that you are okay." Sam doubted that, but it was nice of Daniel to say all the same.

"So, you got sent on the early reconnaissance mission to see if I was still crazy? Are the others holding safe-distance positions until the all clear?"

Daniel certainly liked the light banter and her attempt at humor, but he really thought that she must need someone to talk to. "Sam." She looked up at him. "What really happened?"

Sam looked away for a bit, but realized that nothing would really settle down until she told the story. It would probably make her feel better in the long run anyway. It would have to be an edited version, however, there were some things that she was not sure she would ever be ready to share. But she had gotten really good at getting points across without ever saying anything. The truth was, after all, that Pete left her because she didn't love him, she didn't need to get into who she actually _did_ love. She looked back up at Daniel, "Why don't you give Teal'c a call. Tell him to grab a pizza and I'll tell you both all about it."

Daniel looked like he really wanted to say something else, but was too scared. Sam gave him a look and he said, "Just Teal'c?"

Sam nodded, "For now." And they left it at that.

* * *

Two days later, she finally had to return to work. Reconnecting with Daniel and Teal'c made it an easier task, knowing that she had at least two allies. Daniel and Teal'c seemed to have understood exactly, as far as they knew, what had happened and they were able to agree that it was probably for the best in the end. The only thing that Sam really still regretted was that Pete had to get hurt, but Sam had really learned a valuable lesson about herself. She also regretted the way she had treated the General (as she had once again began calling him in her head). She wasn't sure how to fix that without opening a whole new can of worms.

Her first day back seemed normal enough, she could perceive no whispering and caught no one looking at her, though this very lack of interest seemed weird to Sam. She spent the first morning working in her lab, catching up with paperwork, checking the status on several projects and generally hiding. Daniel popped into her office right before lunch.

"How's it going?"

"Like riding a bicycle," Sam replied with a weak smile.

"Good. Ready for the next hurdle?" She knew he meant lunch in the commissary and a possible first run-in with the General. She put down her pencil, squared her shoulders and nodded. Hell, if she could handle the Replicators, Goa'uld and the more unseemly set of Earth politicians, she could handle a room full of staring eyes and one one-star General. She hoped.

It didn't end up being that bad, nothing more than a few whispers, aided by the fact that the General did not make an appearance. She still sort of jumped every time someone entered the room, dreading that it might be the General. By the end of lunch, she realized how silly she was being. Sam didn't really want her first meeting with the General since she got back to be in front of all these prying eyes. It was time to grow up and just go see him in his office, where there would be no witnesses if it went really bad. _Nice, Sam, very optimistic_, she thought wryly to herself.

Fifteen minutes later, she stood loitering outside his door. Siler had already passed by twice, doing his best to pretend he didn't notice her hovering outside the General's office. Though the third time by, he gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. Sam knew she was just causing more gossip and raised eyebrows the longer she stood there, so she finally raised her hand and knocked quietly, half-hoping he wouldn't hear it. _Coward_, accused that damn voice in her head again.

Whatever Sam's character might be, she was now trapped because she heard his voice calling out permission to enter. She took a deep breath and entered his office. At first, he didn't look up from some report that he was carefully writing on, his face sort of screwed up in concentration.

"There!" he eventually said as he sat back with a flourish and finally looked up at his visitor. "What can I do-" He stopped when he noticed who had come in. He composed his surprise quickly and then continued. "Colonel. Back to work already?"

She nodded silently, wondering where to begin. Jack noticed her squirming, but felt no overwhelming urge to make her more comfortable. _Real mature, Jack_, he thought. If he was honest, he was still angry and confused and it was making him somewhat childish. The silence continued on and just when he thought she wasn't ever going to get around to saying anything, she finally stopped absently looking around his office and looked him straight in the eye.

"I just wanted to say, Sir, how sorry I am for my behavior. I shouldn't have…" her voice sort of trailed off.

The guilt in her eyes bothered Jack and he decided to let her off the hook. Heck, he could never stay mad at Carter for very long anyway. He shook his head at her, "Look Carter, we all know you were going through a difficult time. Forget about it."

"No, there is no excuse. I had no right to speak to you in that manner, Sir."

"As your superior officer?" Damn, Jack wished he hadn't said that. He looked away, not wanting to let her know that she had hurt him with her accusatory eyes and angry words.

Sam wasn't unaware of his feelings, however. "Of course as a superior officer, believe it or not, I am not shooting for a court-martial." Her attempt at humor was a little hollow to both of them. "But, I…You were there as a friend, Sir, and no one should ever talk to their friends like that."

"Not even when they have a reason to be pissed?" He was finally looking at her again, perhaps a bit mollified at her referral to their friendship, rather than their rank.

Sam sighed, and collapsed into the chair in front of his desk. "Well, Sir, to be honest, I don't think that I was really the injured party." He raised an eyebrow at this, silently reminding her that _she_ was the one left at the altar. She flashed him a small, sad smile. "Now that I've had some time to think about it all, I realized that Pete was right. Getting married was a really bad idea."

Jack didn't really know how to reply to that, but seeing her there, sitting in his chair, confiding in him like she used to do, it made him feel better. Sam noticed the old feelings of comfort and friendship coming back too, and continued on, feeling that he deserved a confession, well a partial one, and that she might feel better for having done it.

"I'm just not sure that I ever loved Pete. I think I loved what he stood for: a normal life. He was kind and fun, uncomplicated. But he deserves more than a wife who liked him because he was comfortable to be around and fit easily into her life with minimum effort." Sam sighed. "I guess I was just being a selfish coward."

"I have a hard time believing that you could ever be a coward, Carter."

"Well, it seems clear to me now, that I am certainly a coward about some things." The meanings behind that statement hung in the air between them, the old, unspeakable topic. In honor of their new reconciliation, or perhaps just because of old habits, they both let that issue go. They just sat there for a while, the awkwardness replaced with comfortable silence. A knock at the door broke their reverie.

Sam smiled at the General, "Back to work, I guess." He nodded. She crossed over to the door to let herself out.

"Carter," Jack called out before she opened the door. She looked back at him. "It's good to have you back." Jack was rewarded with a genuine smile before she turned to leave. It was at that moment that he finally realized that he hadn't seen her smile, a real smile, for months. Further musings were interrupted by his new guest, a scientist from the alien technology sector who nervously told Jack that he may have accidentally turned his labmate into a human icicle with a new piece of technology brought back from P6S-745. Jack rolled his eyes, _scientists_.


	3. Discovery

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Discovery  
Author: Annerb  
Email: PG-13, minor language, death  
Summary: Just when things were finally getting back to normal, the Tok'ra come to stir the plot. Their information leads to a shocking discovery.  
Classifications: Series, S/J Angst, Drama, Action, Mid-season 8   
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Archive: Yes, SJD and Heliopolis  
DisclaimerThe characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Here's part 3! The action kicks up a bit, and we meet some new characters. Endless thanks to Triptnx and Montage.

Feedback: Always appreciated! I tried to be as canon as possible, but who knows!

_**As the 'Gate Turns**_

_**Part 3: Discovery**_

General Jack O'Neill and SG-1 stood together watching the rotation of the Stargate with varied expressions. Teal'c, of course, being Teal'c, seemed as self-contained as always, only his lack of weapons spoke to his ease and the way his eyes looked to the spinning ring told of his curiosity. Daniel was a bit more open, his eyes bright behind his glasses, a small journal tucked under his arm and a pen circling in his free hand. He gently shifted his weight back and forth from one foot to the other, shooting speculative glances at Jack.

Sam stood between Jack and Daniel, her expression nearly as guarded as Teal'c's. But, being Sam, if you really knew her, as her companions did, you could detect an uneasy mingling of excitement and distrust. Jack, on the other hand, made no such attempt to guard his expression. He was clearly in no mood to be patient and seemed to be bracing himself for something highly unpleasant. Sam might have laughed at his expression under any other circumstance. The quartet remained standing, silently watching the alien technology at the center of their careers and lives.

An airman's voice broke through the silence, "Receiving Tok'ra IDC, sir." Jack mumbled something indecipherable about the Tok'ra under his breath.

Sam glanced at him speculatively, "Sir?" She managed to communicate a lot with that one word, not the least of which was 'open the iris unless you want to splatter my father, which wouldn't please me all that much.'

"Yeah, yeah, Carter," answered Jack, before calling out louder for the tech to open the iris. He then sighed heavily, his dislike for the Tok'ra clear.

"Maybe it's just a social call," Sam offered brightly, not believing it for a moment herself. Jack's glare told her he could read her like a book. Sam could only hope that her father would be the Tok'ra representative, both because Jack liked him and he would therefore do a marginally better job listening to whatever the Tok'ra wanted, and also because she had not seen her father since her wedding, or rather her not-wedding. The disintegration of the Tok'ra-human alliance had deprived Sam of her closest family member, not just an ally against the Goa'uld.

The first figure through the gate was Jacob and Selmak. Sam could feel Jack relax perceptibly beside her, only to quickly tense again as his worst fear materialized. A second figure stepped through the gate after Jacob.The wormhole disengaged and the two visitors came down the ramp. The tall, rather voluptuous woman that accompanied Jacob strode straight up to Jack and was the first to speak.

"General O'Neill, we were pleased to hear of your promotion as the commander of this facility. We can think of no one better suited for such a position."

Sam tried her best to focus on the poorly disguised annoyance on Jack's face rather than the way the woman stood too closely to Jack or the stupid urge Sam felt to make her step back. Almost as if she could read Sam's mind, the woman glanced at her briefly before turning her attention back to the General.

"Well…ah…thanks, Freya, but something tells me you didn't travel all this way just to congratulate me." Jack stepped back from Freya/Anise and turned his attention to Jacob. "So, what's up? Wouldn't happen to need someone to help save your collective asses again, would we?"

As inflammatory as Jack was trying to be, Jacob simply laughed and looked affectionately at Jack after winking at his daughter. "Ever the diplomat aren't we, Jack?"

"To be fair, Dad, things do tend to turn out badly whenever you guys show up," Sam offered, unaware that she was automatically defending Jack. Jacob did not seem as unaware of this habit, quickly filing the information away in his don't-think-about-it-too-much file.

"Well, Sammie, I can't say that this time will be any different," Jacob sighed.

"So then tell me this, Jacob: why aren't I just chucking you both back out of here?"

"Because this time, Jack, it's Earth's ass that's on the line."

Jack sighed heavily at this and half-heartedly gestured for them all to follow him up to the briefing room.

They managed to settle around the briefing table with only a miniscule scuffle as Sam rather elegantly shoved her way into her usual seat at the head of the table next to Jack, forcing Anise to take a seat between Sam and Teal'c. While not overtly obvious, the action did earn a displeased glare from Anise, an amused look from Jacob and a grateful smile from Jack.

Once they were all comfortably seated, Jack turned to Jacob. "Alright, Jake, let's hear it."

"Well, we managed to get an agent into one of Baal's motherships. He was pretending to be a minor Goa'uld in his service. He hadn't gained much access when he overheard something he wasn't supposed to. He managed to relay the information to us, but we think he might have been compromised because we have not heard from him since."

"How long have you been out of contact?" asked Sam.

"It's been over a month," Jacob supplied.

"I take it this is another 'sacrifice for the greater cause' and that you aren't here to mount a rescue," Jack noted sarcastically, his dislike of the Tok'ra habit of leaving people behind clear.

Jacob just gave Jack his your-way-isn't-the-only-way look. Anise took advantage of their staring match to jump into the conversation. "Ter'il is more than likely lost to us, but he did manage to collect valuable data."

Sam turned to Anise. "And what? That makes his sacrifice not in vain?" she asked, somewhat harshly, remembering a similar conversation she had with this woman as she held Martouf's lifeless body.

"Sammie," Jacob broke in with an understanding tone, "we are not here to debate the value system of the Tok'ra."

"Right," jumped in Daniel, clearly uncomfortable with the charged atmosphere that was building up between the two former allies. He turned to Anise, "So what did Ter'il overhear that he wasn't supposed to?"

Glad to get back on topic, Anise launched into an explanation. "There is another Goa'uld in the service of Baal, known as Enki." Before she could continue, all of the humans automatically paused and looked at Daniel as he began to rack his brain for references to this figure in Earth history.

"Right," he said eventually. "Enki was a lesser known Babylonian God also known as Ea. He's important as part of their creation myth. It's said that he created humans out of the blood of a fallen god. Supposedly, he made people to serve the gods, so they would never have to work again."

"Sounds about right," muttered Jack, liking the Goa'uld even less, if possible.

"Not so far off, actually, considering that Ter'il overheard Enki discussing an experiment that he is working on for Baal," supplied Jacob. "Enki was boasting that when his project was finished, Baal would be eternally grateful for being given a way to destroy the Tau'ri. He said that if successful, his project would provide the 'ultimate weapon.'"

The table was silent for a moment as this information sunk in. Jack leaned back in his chair, trying to look unconcerned. "Okay, who's to say that this isn't typical Goa'uld I'm-king-of-the-Universe crap?"

Jacob nodded in understanding, the Goa'uld were pretty big on boasts and not always as big with following through. "Ter'il wasn't able to collect much information, but he was able to break into his lab and confirm that Enki was working with human DNA."

Sam sat up straight at this information. "Human DNA?" The possibilities that this opened up swam around her head, each one more nefarious than the last. Again, almost instinctually, the humans at the table turned and looked at Sam, waiting for her to enlighten them as to what the 'ultimate weapon' could be. "It really could be anything, none of it good," Sam offered finally.

"Any guesses?" Jack asked.

"Well, worst case scenario, they could be working on developing genetic weapons like the Aschen had. But I'm not sure that they would want to take out our entire population like that. Don't the Goa'uld usually take over planets, needing more slaves and hosts, rather than wiping them out completely?"

It was Teal'c's turn to jump in with information. "That is usually true, ColonelCarter, but they have been known to destroy entire planets if the threat was big enough."

"Or annoying enough," offered Jack. They all turned to look at him. "Come on. They have been trying to get rid of us unsuccessfully for eight years! All the while, we have been thinning them out like crazy. Maybe all they care about now is removing the 'Tau'ri threat' at any cost." Everyone took a moment to absorb his insight.

Teal'c nodded stolidly. "I agree with your assessment, O'Neill."

Jack turned back to Sam. "Could they really do it? Wipe us out?"

"It's theoretically possible, sir."

"Crap."

They continued debating the possible 'ultimate weapons' for a while, but they all knew that speculation would only get them so far. The only way to be sure was for SG-1 to go check it out. Jacob had managed to delicately explain that the Tok'ra themselves had no operatives to spare at the moment. It seemed clear to Sam that he had probably had to fight tooth and nail just to get the Tok'ra high council to let him come warn them. It would be too much to hope that their former allies would lend them a hand. Sam smiled at her dad to let him know that she understood.

Duty dispatched, Jacob and Anise rose to take their leave. Jacob pulled Sam aside while the gate dialed, hoping to grab at least a few moments together.

"Sammie, I'm really sorry that-"

Sam cut him off. "Dad, our relationship with the Tok'ra is not your fault. I know you and Selmak are doing everything you can on your end."

Jacob gave Sam's hand a squeeze. "I know. I just hate that I'm here even less than I used to be. We haven't seen each other for over six months. I hated to leave you after the…" His voice trailed off and Sam smiled.

"It's okay, you can say it. It's been six months since I didn't marry Pete." Jacob flinched at her offhand way of putting it. Sam just laughed. "I know you won't believe me, but it really did end up being a good thing. It helped me realize some things about myself."

Jacob looked at her speculatively for a moment and Sam knew he was trying to gauge how truthful she was being. Eventually he shrugged, "Well, as Selmak just pointed out to me, you do seem more relaxed. I wish we had more time to talk about it, though." As he said that, of course, the Stargate swooshed into life behind them. He gave Sam a wry smile and she worked to hold back the sudden twist in her gut at the thought that she really had no idea if or when she would ever get to see him again.

Jacob pulled Sam into a hug and whispered into her ear, "Be safe. If you ever need me, send word, I'll do everything I can to get back."

Sam nodded into his neck and pulled back. "Take care of him for me, Selmak. Try to keep him out of trouble if you can."

Jacob glared teasingly at Sam as he followed Anise up the ramp. Right before he stepped through the event horizon, Jacob turned back and looked over towards Jack, Daniel and Teal'c. "Take care of my girl." Sam didn't think to protest as Jack nodded back and her father disappeared. Sam carefully swallowed the unexpected prick of tears and stared at the empty space where her father had been moments before. She gave herself one more moment of sentiment before shaking it off and turning her mind back to the mission ahead of her. Sam glanced up to find Jack watching her with an inscrutable expression.

When he didn't look away, Sam gave him a small smile to let him know that she was okay. He nodded and then turned back to Daniel and Teal'c. "Alright kids, let's spec out a mission," he said lightly and then led them back up into the briefing room.

* * *

Jack eventually, though reluctantly, agreed to let SG-1 infiltrate Baal's mothership. They decided that a small, surgical approach would probably be more successful than a larger head-on attack. They would need stealth to get in and get out in one piece. Jack, unsurprisingly, was not happy with sending them in, more than likely because he had first hand knowledge of what would happen to them if they were caught. Not that he would admit it, but he still had occasional nightmares about his time with Baal. 

No matter Jack's reservations, not the least of which was the way the Tok'ra always managed to get them into more trouble than they bargained for, they all knew that the threat was too big to ignore and that nothing could be done without more information. So, permission granted, SG-1 was sent out with orders to ascertain what Enki's experiments were and to destroy any potential threats to Earth. According to Jacob's intelligence, Baal's mothership was currently orbiting a planet with no Stargate. They would be able to 'gate in directly to the ship using the planet's coordinates, but they did, of course, run the risk of the ship jumping to hyperspace while they were still on board. They would have to be quick, unless they wanted to take a nice road trip with Baal.

Jack fought the urge to follow SG-1 through the 'gate. He knew that they were the best and that Carter could take care of them all, but he was still filled with the need to be there to watch their backs. Promotions and reassignments aside, they would always be his team. Stamping down on his impulse, Jack calmly smiled and said "SG-1, you have a go."

Carter looked back at him and nodded, already in full-on Colonel mode. He knew she would bring them back, but he still silently wondered how Hammond had handled this for so long. Suddenly he felt bad that he hadn't been a little less reckless, probably would have saved Hammond some hair and stomach pain. Jack shook his head and tried to put SG-1 out of his mind by delving into the exciting realm of requisition forms.

* * *

Sam blinked at the complete darkness that engulfed her as soon as her molecules reintegrated on the other side of the wormhole. If she hadn't been a levelheaded, logical, scientist-type, she might have let herself wonder if the Stargate had finally goofed and put her back together wrong. Were the molecules that made up her eyes floating somewhere in space right now? Luckily Sam wasn't quite so whimsical, or at least not such that she would admit to it. With a soft click, her flashlight revealed a large room full of crates, quite similar to the room they had stumbled upon on Apophis' ship so many years before. Sam also didn't take the time to reflect on their good luck at finding the room unguarded. Instead, she gestured for Daniel to send the MALP back and set the rest of their plan into motion. 

"Teal'c, get to the engine room and disable the hyper-drive. We don't want to take any unscheduled trips while on board. Daniel and I will start looking for the labs. Let's do our best to stay out of sight!" Teal'c nodded at Sam before slinking off towards the engine room. Daniel silently fell in behind Sam as she began a sweep of the level.

Two levels up from the gate room, Sam and Daniel stumbled into a room that served as a lab for Enki according to the intelligence provided by Ter'il. It was a large room with a bulky view screen along the back wall. Even though the room was in the typical gaudy, over-blown style of the Goa'uld, the air seemed sterile and reminded Sam of the smell of the infirmary back at the SGC. Another bank of consoles with Goa'uld writing covering it was against the wall on the right. Daniel automatically began checking out the information, looking for any clue as to what the lab was used for.

Sam wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but it would have been nice for there to have been a large, suspicious looking object in the middle of the room with a large sign in clear English that said "Evil Weapon." Of course, this was never the case. With a last glance at Daniel, who was already fully engrossed, Sam turned her attention to the last wall on the left. There seemed to be some sort of mechanism in the wall. Sam pressed a glowing rune and a large pod-like structure emerged from the wall. It was about seven feet long and a couple of feet wide. Sam peered into pod through the clear cover. She did not find the scary-looking machine she had expected. Instead, she found herself staring at a human child. The child appeared to be about eight or nine years old and was sleeping or unconscious. He seemed impossibly small and out of place in the sterile, white space. Sam reached out a hand to touch the thick barrier as if to reassure herself that the ghost-like vision was actually real.

"Step away from the boy."

The low voice brought Sam out of her shock at the appearance of the young boy. She whipped around to see Daniel standing, somewhat sheepishly, with his gun being pointed at his head by a young woman. She was about the same height as Sam, with brown hair pulled back in a severe bun at the back of her head. She wore a plain, off-white, shapeless gown of what might be something like wool. The woman's appearance, however, was not what caught Sam's attention, but rather it was the icy calm in her eyes and the ease with which she held the gun against Daniel's temple. Sam's gut silently warned her not to mess with this adversary.

The woman's eyes were hard as she pressed the gun tighter against Daniel's head. "I said, step away from the boy!" To prove her intentions, perhaps, the woman easily clicked off the safety and cocked the gun with one hand. The sound made Daniel blanch and kicked Sam into action. Sam raised her hands in the air and slowly began to step away from the pod.

"Take it easy, I'll do what you say." The woman didn't seem to be inclined to relax as the gun remained where it was as she carefully mirrored Sam's movements, slowly circling around the room until she now stood between Sam and the boy. With a quick motion that removed the gun from Daniel's head for mere moments, the woman hit a button on the edge of the pod containing the boy. The gun was back on Daniel before either of them could react.

There was a slight hiss as the top of the pod retracted and the boy began to regain consciousness. Sam felt a vague feeling of relief that the small child actually lived. The boy sleepily opened his eyes to take in the scene around him. "Haley?" he asked in a weak, raspy voice that betrayed his confusion.

The woman, who Sam now presumed was called Haley, looked back briefly at the boy to give him a reassuring smile. "Shhh…Jonathan, it's okay. Just stay where you are." All gentleness left her face as she turned back to glare at Sam once more. The woman was instantly all cool, calculated hardness before she tore her gaze from Sam's to consider Daniel for a moment. "You are not Jaffa."

Daniel refrained from shaking his head, probably far too aware of the cold steel pressed into his skin. "No, we are humans from a planet called Earth."

"You are Tau'ri?" the woman asked, looking from Daniel to Sam, with not a small amount of surprise in her voice. "But this one," she nodded towards Sam, "she has been host to a Goa'uld."

Sam's eyebrows rose for a moment in surprise before she clarified. "Not anymore, and not by choice."

Haley seemed to accept this, but apparently had no intention of letting go of her hostage quite yet. "Why are you here?" It was a statement more than a question, leaving no room for Sam to misunderstand her intentions. 'Give me the information I want, or risk the consequences,' she seemed to be saying.

Sam had decided to play along, hoping for an opportunity to present itself or for Teal'c to reappear. "We received intelligence that the Goa'uld were creating genetic weapons to attack our planet. We came here to corroborate that intelligence and destroy any weapons that we found." It was perhaps too much information to provide to a complete stranger, but Sam was flying by her gut feelings at this point and there was something about the woman she couldn't quite identify.

Sam's instinct was rewarded when the woman seemed confused for a moment. "Genetic weapons? Here in this lab?"

"Yes, so you can imagine my surprise at finding a young boy here." The woman was beginning to look uncertain, and Sam took a moment to assess how she could get Daniel out of her grip. She decided to just keep her talking and maybe distract her with questions. "Is this your lab?" Granted, the woman was dressed far too subdued to be a Goa'uld, but Sam was getting all sorts of naquadah tingles, and she was fairly sure that some of it was coming from the woman holding Daniel at gunpoint.

Haley looked startled at the question. "My lab? No…only the gods work in here. I am in their care, like Jonathan."

No matter how dire the situation, Daniel didn't seem capable of holding back a snort of disbelief. "They aren't gods and they certainly don't 'care' for anyone." Daniel's voice made Haley jump, as if she had forgotten she was holding a gun to his head. Luckily for Daniel, she obviously had steely nerves and didn't accidentally pull the trigger.

Haley readjusted her grip on Daniel before replying. "I know they are not gods. Forgive me, but I have never met anyone else who understood that. They would more than likely kill me if they suspected that I knew the truth."

"The truth?" Daniel ventured to question.

"That they are nothing more than parasites who use technology and fear to enslave. But something tells me that you already knew that." Haley's expression was hard once again, clearly indicating that she would no longer be distracted. "Tell me. What is your intention here?"

Sam took in the woman's protective stance over the child. She didn't seem quite old enough to be the boy's mother, but Sam was beginning to realize that Haley's aggression seemed to stem from a perceived threat to the child. 'Time to test that theory, Colonel,' she ordered herself. "We are not here to harm you or the boy. If you have heard of the Tau'ri, then you must know that."

"Perhaps that is true, but I also know that you would not hesitate to eliminate anything you thought of as a threat."

"Other than the gun you are holding to my friend's head, you don't seem like much of a threat to me," Sam offered wryly. She wasn't sure why she felt that way, maybe it had to do with the fact that no matter Haley's apparent age, she still seemed somewhat child-like to Sam.

"But you came to this lab to destroy Enki's research, did you not?"

"Yes," answered Sam slowly as she tried to connect the dots to this surreal conversation. What exactly did one have to do with other?

"This lab is where we receive our treatments."

"Treatments?" That certainly sounded nefarious to Sam.

Haley merely shrugged. "I do not know exactly what he does to us, only that it is futile to resist." Sam didn't need to imagine the perils of defying a Goa'uld, having been party to their torture techniques more than once.

"Well, that's what we are here to figure out. Why don't you let Daniel go and then we can look at the lab files together?" Sam wasn't exactly ready to trust her, but she needed to convince her to let Daniel go. Then Sam could assess the threat-level of the Goa'uld 'lab-rats.'

"You will not harm us?" Haley asked uncertainly. Sam could tell that she really wanted to believe it.

"No," Sam reassured her. "Maybe we can even help you, get you off of this ship and away from Enki, if you would like."

Haley appeared to be considering the offer. "I will let him go and accept your help on two conditions."

Sam didn't really think Haley was in a position to make demands, but she nodded for her to continue anyway.

"You will share all the information you find in the lab notes with me."

That seemed reasonable enough; Sam knew she would want to know what had been done to her if the situation were reversed. "Okay. And two?"

Haley paused and glanced at the young boy. "You will provide care for Jonathan and, if possible, fix whatever is wrong with him."

Sam's eyes darted to the boy. He was clearly in some sort of distress, his skin slightly jaundiced and his face gaunt. "I can't promise that we can make him better, but I can give you my word that we will try."

This pledge finally seemed to be enough for Haley and she slowly lowered the gun. She removed her other arm from Daniel's neck. Daniel released a deep breath of relief and quickly stepped away from Haley. It didn't escape Sam's notice that the woman kept Daniel's Beretta, but she decided to not push the issue as she began to search the crystals for relevant data. Sam was careful to keep one eye on the woman at all times.

Sam, with the translation help of Daniel and, surprisingly, Haley, managed to find a set of encrypted lab notes that apparently dealt with Enki's experiments. "We don't have time to figure these out right now. We'll have to take them back to the SGC."

Daniel nodded his agreement while Haley watched them both from lowered eyes. She stood next to the young boy, almost absently patting his hand. "Changing your mind, Haley?" queried Sam, who was not unaware of the woman's cautious glances.

The boy chose that moment to groan softly. Sam could see gentle tremors wracking his small body. His face shone with sweat and his lips were white with pain. Haley seemed to visibly quench whatever misgivings she may have had about them in the face of the suffering of the young boy. Haley turned back to Sam and shook her head. "I am ready. We should leave quickly before someone notices I have left my quarters. They will know to look for me here."

Sam simply nodded and toggled her radio. "Teal'c?" When there was no answer, she shared a look with Daniel. "Teal'c, please come in." Still no answer.

"He couldn't have been captured, right? Wouldn't they have set off an alarm or something? They would know he wasn't alone." Daniel's eyes were wide behind his glasses, but he looked at Sam with complete trust. Sam felt a momentary clench in her gut at the weight of that trust, but quickly tamped it back down. Before Sam could even begin to formulate a plan, however, Haley had crossed the room and begun manipulating the controls under the view screen.

Sam raised her weapon in alarm. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

The woman didn't pause or even look up at Sam, but answered with her back turned, reading off of the console. "Jaffa on level 16 reported an intruder in the engine room. Three other teams have been dispatched to search every level. Strangely, they have not yet posted a guard at the Stargate nor set off the alarm."

"Any mention of where they are holding Teal'c?" Daniel asked as he came up beside Haley, squinting interestedly at the console.

Haley pressed a few more buttons and after a moment turned back to Sam. "Holding cell C on level 8." Sam considered her for a moment, wondering at her motives and her sudden readiness to help them. Haley seemed to understand Sam's hesitation and shrugged at her. "You are our way out of here and I assume you won't leave one of your own behind. I can help you get him back."

"Okay," Sam said slowly, "how can you help us?"

"I know this ship. If I can get to the relay station on this level, I will be able to cut the power to the holding cells. I can also direct you on the safest path to your friend. You should be able to avoid any patrols."

"If you know this ship so well and are so desperate to leave, why have you never tried to escape before?" Daniel asked shrewdly.

"Escape and go where? I know nothing outside of this ship. Besides, the children have always been too weak to come with me. I would never leave them behind, they need me."

"Children? Are there more?"

Haley shook her head. "Jonathan is all that is left." Daniel looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but Haley brusquely interrupted him. "If you want to save your friend, we need to act quickly. I will go to the nearest relay center and cut the power to the cell level. You should retrieve your friend and then meet me in the gate room."

Sam couldn't argue with the logic of her plan, but didn't really like the idea of their new 'friend' wandering around the ship by herself. She was still a bit of an unknown. "Fine, but Daniel goes with you."

Haley looked ready to protest, but Sam cut her off. "No. This is non-negotiable. Daniel will go with you. Besides, you will need his help to drop off Jonathan in the gate room before we put this plan in action."

Perhaps it was Sam's appeal to Jonathan's safety that finally convinced Haley because she silently nodded her assent. Sam took a deep breath and sent Daniel a reassuring glance. She couldn't be sure which of them was taking the bigger risk; she only knew that leaving Teal'c behind was not an option. They would simply have to trust Haley and hope that she really wasn't somehow a Goa'uld weapon to be used against them. Before she could delve too far into that dark thought, she set off to rescue Teal'c, the lab notes carefully ensconced in her pack.

* * *

The trip to the gate room had been uneventful, for which Daniel was immensely grateful. Between carrying the young boy and keeping an eye on their new 'friend,' Daniel wasn't sure he would be able to handle Jaffa too. But Haley was true to her word and seemed to know the ship very well. She led them in a somewhat circuitous path to the gate room, but they did not meet another soul, which was more than likely her intent. Daniel hoped that Sam had been as lucky in her trek to the holding cells. 

Upon reaching the gate room, Daniel had gently laid down the child behind the gate platform. Haley had leaned over the boy and gently whispered something to him that made him smile weakly and nod his head. Daniel was somewhat taken aback at the kindness and care that she treated the boy, after all, it had not been long since Daniel was sure she was going to kill him with his own gun.

Once the boy was comfortably settled, they silently set out through the long corridors once again. After another 20 minutes of what seemed to Daniel to be aimless wandering, Haley ducked into a small room that Daniel recognized as a relay room. With ease, Haley pulled open a bank of crystals and began carefully rearranging the many colored shafts. Less than five minutes later, she sat back on her heels and nodded at Daniel. He toggled his radio twice, sending the pre-arranged message to Sam. He heard his radio quietly click twice and knew that Sam had understood. It was time to book it back to gate.

Daniel thought that he really should have known that things were going far too smoothly. It shouldn't have been a surprise that they ran into a patrol on their way back. Daniel had been quietly following Haley, his mind on Sam and Teal'c when Haley had abruptly stopped in front of him.

"Dr. Jackson! Behind you!" rang out Haley's voice.

Daniel managed to lunge to the side as one of the Jaffa fired a staff weapon from behind. He wasn't quite fast enough, however, and he felt the blast sear into his leg. Grimacing, he looked up at Haley, who, even as she shouted her warning, quickly ducked behind a column to avoid a second blast in her direction. After a volley of staff blasts, she popped back out, Daniel's gun in her hand, and rapidly dispatched the two Jaffa warriors with what seemed to Daniel was military-like precision and cool. It was something he had often witnessed in Sam and Jack.

He had no time to ruminate on this further, however, as Haley appeared by his side, evaluating his wound. She wordlessly ripped off the bottom hem of her skirt and made a passable field bandage, all the while hyper-vigilant for other approaching Jaffa. Next, she began rummaging through Daniel's vest. He grabbed her hands, trying to ignore the pain in his leg.

"What are you doing?"

"This weapon is empty," supplied Haley, briefly waving Daniel's gun.

Daniel wordlessly handed her a clip and watched her reload the gun expertly. He thought to ask where she had become familiar with earth weapons, but the sound of approaching feet forestalled any conversation.

Haley dragged Daniel up with surprising strength. She supported him with one arm, Daniel's gun occupying her other hand. Daniel grabbed his zat with his free hand and they headed as quickly as possible towards the gate room.

* * *

Haley readjusted her grip on Dr. Jackson and carefully listened for the sounds of more approaching feet. Satisfied that they weren't being followed, Haley propelled them both forward once more. She noticed Dr. Jackson grimace as he put weight on his damaged leg, but he did not complain. Haley got the impression that he wasn't actually a warrior, but he still handled himself with great dignity. His eyes were constantly darting around their surroundings, but she couldn't tell if he was looking for evidence of more patrols or if he was simply interested in their environs. Haley knew that she, too, should be paying more attention to their path than her companion. After chastising herself briefly for letting her mind wander, she increased their speed, anxious to get back to the gate room and Jonathan, who would undoubtedly be frightened by now. 

Colonel Carter and her rescued friend glanced up as they finally entered the gate room. Haley felt a moment of relief that they had made it back, but it quickly changed to panic as the new Tau'ri turned around. Haley released Dr. Jackson and stepped in front of him, her gun pointed at the large man with the gold mark of his god on his forehead. "Jaffa," Haley accused in a low voice.

"Haley, put down the gun. This is our friend, Teal'c, the one you helped us rescue." Colonel Carter's voice was calm, but firm, and her eyes darted towards the open door, reminding Haley of their precarious position. The pressure to get Jonathan safely away was at war with the burning in her gut at the sight of the Jaffa. How could they be foolish enough to trust the servant of a false god?

Dr. Jackson's voice penetrated Haley's confusion. "Haley, he is on our side, I promise. He fights with us against the Goa'uld." The Jaffa nodded solemnly as if to confirm Dr. Jackson's words. Haley really wasn't inclined to trust the Jaffa, but she was uncomfortably aware of her desperate need to get off of this mothership now that a way had been offered to her. So, against her better judgment, she lowered the weapon and wrapped her arm around Dr. Jackson again, helping him towards the gate.

Colonel Carter glanced at Dr. Jackson's wound, but at a nod from him she went back to dialing the gate, the Jaffa standing guard at the door. The wormhole engaged with a whoosh and Colonel Carter gestured for the Jaffa to grab Jonathan and go first through the gate. Haley tried to ignore the queasiness she felt at the sight of Jonathan swallowed up by the arms of the Jaffa. 'You have no choice,' she reminded herself, 'if you want to get out of here you need to trust them.'

"Haley, help Daniel through, I've got your six," ordered Colonel Carter.

Haley nodded and moved to comply. Haley could hear the stamp of approaching feet in the distance, and saw Colonel Carter pull up her weapon out of the corner of her eye, slowly back-peddling after them. Haley hesitated, almost imperceptibly, at the threshold of the event horizon. Dr. Jackson gave her a smile, "Don't worry, it's safe."

Haley was chagrined to be caught showing fear and without responding, she stubbornly heaved both of them through the glistening surface. She nearly stumbled at the other side, dizzy from the trip and faltering under the weight of Dr. Jackson. As she regained her stance, the sound of weapons being tracked on her was clear. They stood in a large, gray room and no less than 20 weapons were trained on her. Someone was saying something to her, a man standing at the base of a long ramp. Haley could not make it out; her heart was beating too harshly in her chest. Had she simply left one jailer for another?

"Haley," Dr. Jackson's voice was calm and reassuring in her ear, "put down the gun."

Haley realized with shock that she was still holding his gun and that it was now pointed at the man standing talking to her a few paces away. She heard the plop of another body coming through the gate and the metallic sound of a metal wall closing over the mouth of the Stargate. She glanced back to see Colonel Carter taking in the situation, her eyes wide.

Haley finally realized what she must look like, pointing her gun and holding the wounded Dr. Jackson against her. She slowly shook her head at her own stupidity and lowered the gun. She offered it, butt-first to Colonel Carter, a small rueful smile of apology on her lips. The Colonel accepted it and moved to help her get Dr. Jackson down the ramp.

"Care to introduce our new guest, Colonel?" asked the man at the end of the ramp, even as people in white coats swarmed into the room with gurneys.

"This is Haley. Haley, this is General Jack O'Neill, he is the commander of this facility."

Haley did not give any indication that she had heard. Instead, having been relieved of her burden, she craned her neck around. "Where is Jonathan?" she demanded.

The General cocked an eyebrow at Colonel Carter. "The boy Teal'c brought through," she clarified.

"Ah, yes. He was taken to the infirmary."

Haley stiffened at this and turned accusatory eyes on the Colonel. "What are you doing to him? I thought we would be safe here."

"It's standard procedure. Everyone gets checked over by the doctor when they come back through the gate, especially new guests," supplied the General.

Haley turned to consider the Tau'ri leader. Something about him made her want to trust him, though as far as she could remember, she had never met anyone trustworthy before today. She decided to give these people a chance. It did seem a bit of a moot point, however, as she was already at their mercy. She would just have to see where this new path took her, hoping that anything was better than the Goa'uld. She nodded at the General, indicating her acceptance of this explanation, at least for now.

This seemed to amuse him, but he said nothing further to her. He turned to the Colonel. "Well, Carter, why don't you both head down to the infirmary? You can both be looked over and Haley here can see her friend. Briefing in one hour." He clearly wanted an explanation, but was willing to wait a bit for it. The Colonel nodded at her commanding officer and led Haley out of the gate room.

Haley resigned herself to being poked and prodded once she had assured herself that Jonathan was resting on a nearby bed. She was careful to note that the nurses preformed the same tests on her as they did on Colonel Carter, who currently resided in the bed on her left. So far, these Tau'ri seemed to be keeping to their word. Haley felt her eyes begin to get heavy, even though her mind moved at a fast clip, desperately reviewing her choices and wondering at the intentions of her new keepers. As if Colonel Carter was somehow aware of her misgivings, she kept giving Haley encouraging smiles to let her know everything would be okay. Haley couldn't quite bring herself to smile back, as she continued to fight her weariness.

She must have finally dozed off, because the next thing she knew, she was covered in a blanket and Colonel Carter's bed was empty. Haley sat up quickly, her heart thumping, only to release a long breath at locating the slumbering form of Jonathan. He was hooked up to machines and fluids, but seemed peaceful. Surveying the rest of the room, Haley noted two guards at the door, there for her sake no doubt. The Tau'ri seemed to trust her as much as she trusted them.

At the other end of the room was Dr. Jackson, similarly hooked up to machines, his leg heavily bandaged and elevated. With a glance at the guards, Haley eased herself from the bed. They instantly stood at attention. Haley's voice, much to her embarrassment and annoyance, refused to cooperate, so she simply pointed at Dr. Jackson, asking permission. The guards seemed unsure until Dr. Jackson's voice broke the silent standoff.

"It's okay, guys."

He smiled ruefully at Haley as she approached his bed. "Sorry about that, but we have to be careful about who or what we bring through the gate."

Haley nodded her understanding, but said, "You have nothing to fear from me, Dr. Jackson."

He seemed amused by this and Haley was forced to remember that not too long ago she had been holding a gun to his head. She blushed at the memory. "I did want to apologize for threatening you earlier. I just couldn't allow…" her voice trailed off and she looked helplessly at Jonathan.

"I understand, Haley. You thought you were protecting him. I'm just glad you asked questions first and shot later. Plus, you did save my life. That fact tends to make me want to forget about how we met."

"Thank you, Dr. Jackson. I, too, am glad I didn't have to shoot you."

He smiled at that. "Please, call me Daniel. You _not_ shooting me makes us friends."

"Okay…Daniel." Something about this man made her feel comfortable and she was grateful that he could be so forgiving of her violent behavior earlier. Now she seemed to have at least one friend and something told her she would need them. Unbidden, her gaze traveled back to Jonathan, worry clear on her face. She turned back to find Daniel watching her.

"Do you think that your doctors will be able to help him?" she asked hopefully.

Daniel considered Haley closely for a moment, and she wondered if he could see through her carefully constructed mask. "I don't know, Haley, but we will do everything we can. We'll ask Jack and Sam when they get back from the mission briefing." As if magically summoned by mention of their names, Haley could hear voices in the corridor.

* * *

"Ah…space monkey. How many staff blasts to the leg does this make?" 

Daniel was hard pressed not to roll his eyes. Jack really had to know how much he hated being called 'space monkey.' "Ha ha. I feel fine, by the way. Thanks for asking."

"Good to hear," Jack said, totally ignoring the sarcasm in Daniel's voice. They continued to banter back and forth for a bit like this, Sam looking on in affectionate amusement. Sneaking a glance at Haley, Daniel could tell that she was somewhat mystified by their conversation. Perhaps she had never seen people interacting in such a way. He imagined that the Goa'uld did not have friends, or a sense of humor for that matter. The Jaffa would probably be no better, all stoic and intent on their duties. Daniel wondered, not for the first time, what life on a Goa'uld ship would be like for a human.

Haley seemed glad to be largely ignored and was intently observing them. Daniel was glad to see that she was beginning to relax and let down that ice-cold façade that she had been hiding behind since she first stepped through the gate. Of course, it did not last as Jack chose that moment to turn to Haley, having had his fill tormenting the invalid.

"So, Haley. You feel up to telling us a little bit about you and your friend? Such as, how long have you lived with the Goa'uld?"

Haley was obviously caught off-guard, which was more than likely Jack's plan. Daniel noticed a swift change take over her. Where she had been relaxed moments before, Daniel having finally broken down some of her defenses, she was now guarded, her posture stiff. Jack had effectively backed her against a wall. _Typical_, sighed Daniel to himself.

Haley seemed to also sigh in defeat as Jack continued to pin her with his unwavering gaze. He was making it clear that he was in charge and that he didn't have any reason to trust her yet.

"I have always been with the Goa'uld, as long as I can remember."

"And you don't happen to be a Goa'uld yourself?" asked Jack.

This question clearly shocked Haley. "What? No, of course not!"

"I only ask because you've got Teal'c's spidey-sense tingling. Were you ever a host?"

"I assume you mean that the Jaffa can sense the naquadah in my system. I imagine Colonel Carter can as well, she herself having once been a host."

Jack and Sam shared a look. "Well," pressed Jack, "can you explain the naquadah?"

Haley was seriously defensive now, her eyes narrowed. "I am not a Goa'uld, General, nor was I ever. Surely you must have a way to confirm this."

"Yes," spoke up Sam. "If you would consent to another test. Though, it won't help explain the naquadah."

"I can't explain, either. The Goa'uld were not exactly forthcoming with what my purpose was or with what they were doing to me. Surely the information we downloaded from the lab will be able to tell us."

"We are hoping it will. But it will take time for us to decrypt and translate it."

"And in the meantime, you have two unknown security risks running around. I understand. Do the test. Then at least you will know that I am not a Goa'uld." She turned to Jack. "Lock us up, if you must. But at some point, you will have to trust me." Somehow, Daniel didn't think it would be that easy.

* * *

"Do you have the results of the MRI, Doctor?" Dr. Warner nodded and Jack gestured for him to take a seat at the briefing table with the rest of SG-1. 

"The test was negative, sir. There is no evidence of a Goa'uld. Her blood tests also show no signs of the protein marker that we found in Colonel Carter, so she was more than likely not a host anytime in the past."

"Well, there's that at least. But knowing what she's not doesn't help tell us what she is."

"Sir," interrupted Dr. Warner. "There _is_ something else that showed up in their tests." He handed out folders to everyone at the table.

Carter opened her folder and peered at the image inside. "Wait a minute, aren't those…"

Dr. Warner nodded. "Yes. I found them in both patients."

Jack, holding his image upside down, asked, "Carter, what exactly am I looking at?"

"They're Goa'uld nanocytes, sir. Quite similar to the ones you were infected with on Argos."

"Whoa, wait a minute. You mean they are both infected with the things that made me old?"

Dr. Warner was quick to jump in. "Don't worry, sir. They are inactive in both Haley and Jonathan. With no signal to give them instructions, they are dormant. I already checked Colonel Carter, Dr. Jackson and Teal'c's blood. There is no evidence that they have been infested."

"I think the real question is why are they there?" asked Carter.

"Well, Colonel, I think I may have an answer to that as well. I ran extensive tests on the boy and have found that all of his organs are failing. I ran an analysis of his DNA and found major flaws. From what I have seen, I believe that the boy was made from genetic material and then artificially aged by the nanocytes to reach full maturity."

"Are you saying that he is a clone?" Jack asked incredulously.

"Possibly, though not necessarily. He could represent an attempt to create a human being from various sources of genetic material, not just from one person."

"And you say the boy is dying," spoke up Daniel.

"Yes, I'm afraid that there is nothing I can do to stabilize him. He will continue to decline and eventually his organs will shut down. It is quite similar to what happened to the boy the Re'tu made."

"What about Haley?"

"She shows no signs of deterioration and I was unable to find the same flaws in her DNA. It could be that she is a better attempt at whatever the Goa'uld intended."

"Or she could just be a normal human."

"No, Daniel, I don't think so, not with naquadah in her system. This is beginning to make sense to me."

"Glad to hear it, Carter. Feel like enlightening the rest of us?"

Jack saw Carter smile at his thinly veiled annoyance. "Well, sir, if you remember the intelligence the Tok'ra provided us, they said that the Goa'uld were experimenting with human DNA. We thought that they were trying to make a genetic weapon, but what if they were trying to make a perfect host? A host both human and Goa'uld?"

"You think that they were trying to combine human and Goa'uld DNA?" Dr. Warner asked almost incredulously.

Carter shrugged, "Well, it is just a theory, but it would explain the naquadah in their system. We should be able to confirm or disprove it when we gain access to the files we took from the lab."

Jack was used to Carter's theories turning out to be right more often than not, but was interrupted before he could say anything.

"Dr. Warner to the infirmary, Dr. Warner to the infirmary immediately," rang out a voice over the P.A. system. The doctor dashed out the door with the rest of them right on his heels.

* * *

They made it to the infirmary to find nurses clustered around Jonathan's bed and Haley hovering nearby, her face stricken. She looked up to find them standing by the door. 

One of the nurses rushed up. "Dr. Warner, his stats are dropping. He suffered a seizure but responded with one round of ativan." Dr. Warner nodded and set about giving orders.

Haley, meanwhile, had sidled closer to Daniel. "What's happening?" she asked in barely more than a whisper.

Daniel looked over at her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, wondering how much to tell her. At that point, Dr. Warner came up to them and shook his head. "It's as I feared." Haley stiffened under Daniel's hand.

"I'm sorry, Haley. But there is nothing we can do but make him comfortable."

Haley seemed to be trying to put on a brave face, lifting her chin and straightening her shoulders. "At least that is more than the Goa'uld would have given him. May I speak with him?"

Dr. Warner nodded and Haley moved back to Jonathan's bed. The boy was having trouble breathing and an oxygen mask covered most of his face. At her approach, the boy slowly opened his eyes and barely croaked out Haley's name.

Haley took his hand and made soft comforting sounds. "Shhh…Jonathan. Everything is going to be okay."

The boy continued to struggle to try and say something. "Tell…me…tell…"

Haley seemed to understand what he wanted and nodded to him. "Okay, Jonathan." She gently lifted the boy and settled behind him so that he sat on her lap. She tenderly wrapped her arms around him and began to speak in a low, soft voice. "There is a place where there is a long stretch of white sand along a wide blue ocean. It sits on the edge of a beautiful forest, full of trees and fruit and animals. Children run up and down the beach, laughing and playing and their parents sit under the trees talking gently to each other as they watch over their children. At night, they build giant fires on the beach and tell each other stories about the images in the stars above. And when the children are finally tired, their parents tuck them into warm, soft beds and kiss their foreheads and tell them that they love them.

"And so it is day after day. No one is ever hungry, scared or lonely. There are no demons in this place and no one is ever hurt." Her voice faltered for a moment here. "So when you go to sleep Jonathan, this is where you will wake up. No one will ever be able to hurt you again."

"Haley…there?"

"No sweeting, I won't be there, but all of the others will. They will take good care of you, and I will always be watching over you, even if you can't see me." She couldn't stop the tears anymore at this point, so she just let them fall.

"It hurts…Haley…"

"I know, I know. Just let go, Jonathan, just go to sleep and there won't be any more pain. Just let go."

The boy's eyes gently closed and the beeps of the heart monitor stretched further and further apart. Haley continued to gently rock Jonathan, all the while whispering words of comfort in his ear until finally there were no more beeps and his breathing stopped. Haley leaned down and kissed Jonathan's forehead. "Now you are free," she murmured.

Daniel led the others out of the infirmary to give some time for Haley to say goodbye. After about thirty minutes, she came out from behind the curtain. All tears were gone and her face was impassive once again. Daniel was the first to approach Haley, putting a hand on her arm. "I'm so sorry, Haley."

Haley shrugged off his condolences and looked up at the four people watching her. Her eyes were no longer gentle or even sad, but hard as granite. "He is the sixth such I have had to hold as they die. He is the sixth child I have lied to as they suffered an agonizing death. Someday…" her voice broke, but she seemed to roughly shake it off and continued in a stronger voice. "Someday the Goa'uld will have to pay for what they have done. I will make them pay."

Daniel shared a glance with Sam, raising his eyebrows at Haley's tone. He was beginning to realize that there were many depths to this woman: the collected warrior, the gentle caretaker and now, the hard-edged, vengeful creature. Daniel really wondered what she may have suffered in a lifetime with the Goa'uld and what her future now held.


	4. Aftershocks

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Aftershocks  
Author: Annerb  
Email: P-13, Violence, language  
Summary: Daniel begins to unravel Haley's secrets, but unfortunately for the SGC, he's not the only one  
Classifications: Series, Angst, Drama, Action  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game, diverges from there  
Archive: Yes, SJD and Heliopolis  
DisclaimerThe characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Here's part 4! I hope you liked Haley, though now I'm gonna whump her a little bit, sorry:) Triptnx and Montage: you are awesome, thanks for your help!

Feedback: Always appreciated! (Plus, it keeps me going on the next parts:)

_**Part 4: Aftershocks**_

Sam looked up as Daniel entered the briefing room with Teal'c right on his heels. Daniel's brow was creased in the way Sam knew meant he was either suffering a nasty headache or feeling the weight of a great injustice. Considering what they had all witnessed in the last few days, Sam imagined it was a bit of both. Sam still felt a burning anger in the pit of her stomach whenever she thought of the small child they had all had to watch die. Some days she wasn't sure she could really handle this job and this was one of those days. She found it hard to believe that even the Goa'uld could stoop so low as to use children, but then she remembered that Jonathan was not the first, nor unfortunately the last, to suffer such a fate. Sam made a mental note to call Cassie as soon as she got a chance. She just needed to hear her voice.

Daniel collapsed into a chair next to Sam, releasing a deep sigh, his thoughts no doubt as dark as Sam's. Teal'c merely looked sideways at Daniel before reporting to Sam. "ColonelCarter, Haley has been comfortably settled in guest quarters and I have assigned two guards."

Sam nodded absently at him, her mind still on the woman now being carefully guarded. She understood the necessity of security, but still felt a little duplicitous. She had promised Haley safety, not jail.

Teal'c settled himself in a chair across from Sam and looked carefully around the room. "Where is GeneralO'Neill?"

Sam gestured towards his office where he had been closed up for the last twenty minutes. "He's on the phone with the Pentagon, I think."

"Talking about Haley?" Daniel asked.

Sam shrugged, "Probably." Rubbing her temples absently, Sam turned to Daniel. "How is she, anyway?"

It was Daniel's turn to shrug. "Pretty much how you would expect. She didn't say anything to us; she just looked around the room and lay down on the bed. She is trying hard to put on a brave face."

"I can't imagine what that would be like. Seeing that once was already too much for me, but to see it over and over again…" Sam shivered as her voice trailed off.

Daniel put a reassuring hand on Sam's arm, but was interrupted before he got a chance to say anything by Jack entering the room.

Without preamble, Jack said, "The Pentagon is offering to take over the care of Haley. Though 'offering' may not be quite the word I am looking for."

"What? She's only been here two days and they are already pressuring for us to hand her over? How did they even find out already?"

"Oh, you know, Daniel, good news travels fast," said Jack sarcastically.

"I can imagine. There are probably tons of people out there already, tripping over themselves to get a look at the Goa'uld 'weapon,'" Daniel nearly growled in disgust.

Sam closed her eyes in exhaustion. She knew that there were many people who would do anything to get their hands on Haley. "We don't even know what the Goa'uld did to her yet. There may be nothing more extraordinary to her than simply having naquadah in her blood."

"We need to get those lab notes decrypted so I can start translating them."

"Unfortunately, Daniel, I don't think we have enough time for that. The Pentagon is sending a representative to pick up Haley day after tomorrow."

"We have to fight this," Daniel said vehemently.

"Do we?" asked Jack quietly, not looking him in the eye.

"Jack! You can't be serious!"

"Yes, Daniel," Jack replied dryly, "I am completely serious."

"You have no right to just ship her off like that!"

"Daniel! This is the front line defense of the planet, not some alien boardinghouse!" Daniel's eyes automatically darted towards Teal'c and Jack raised his hand to forestall anything more from Daniel. "Teal'c is different and you know it. We didn't let Cassie stay on the base forever either."

"Yeah, but she was adopted and still lives in the region!"

"I think Haley is a little old for foster parents, Daniel."

"I know that, but shipping her off to the other side of country to live with strangers is insane!" He looked desperately over at Sam. "Right, Sam?"

Sam had tried her best to stay out of this discussion-turned-shouting match. She saw merit to both sides, but didn't really want to get in to it. She sighed when both men continued to stare at her. "I don't like the idea of sending her away, but I also see the need to do it. This is hardly the place for a woman of unknown allegiance or background to hang out. Plus, far away from all this, she might actually have a chance at a real life. I think she deserves that, at the very least."

Daniel seemed to deflate as he lost his last hope for support. "They'll take care of her," Sam said softly. Now she just needed to believe it herself.

* * *

Daniel reached the surface to find Haley standing by the check-in point. She had been given some generic 'Earth' clothes and had a small backpack in one hand. She stood with her eyes closed and her face turned up towards the sun. There was the slightest smile on her face. Daniel saw her take a deep breath before opening her eyes and looking straight at Daniel.

"Your world is beautiful," Haley said softly when Daniel reached her side. Daniel almost laughed at that, considering she was standing in the middle of a paved parking lot. "I always dreamed of one day feeling sun on my face and breathing open air. I just wish Jonathan could have had the chance to feel this too."

Daniel didn't reply but instead took a moment to close his eyes and try to feel what she felt. He opened his eyes again to find her watching him with a bemused expression. She smiled at him and said, "Sometimes it is hard to appreciate what is always there." She shrugged at Daniel's surprised expression and closed her eyes again. "Maybe I am actually the lucky one in some ways."

Daniel shook his head at the surprising ease with which wisdom seemed to fall from her lips. He had only known her for a week, and yet he knew he would miss her when she was gone. As if summoned by his thought, a dark SUV flanked by two sedans with tinted windows pulled up to the main gate. Daniel sighed heavily. "Haley, I'm sorry this is happening."

Haley smiled bravely at Daniel and shook her head. "I know you did what you could, but there is no reason to worry about me. I will be fine."

Daniel wasn't sure which of them she was trying to reassure. "I am sure that you will be fine, but I still wish there was something more I could do."

"I do not believe that General O'Neill would allow me to go if he did not think I would be cared for." Daniel's face darkened at the mention of Jack's name, still a long way from forgiving him for letting the Pentagon take Haley.

Haley reached out and put her hand on Daniel's. "He is only doing what he thinks is right. Anyway, my only regret is that I will be losing the only friend I have ever had."

"Not losing, Haley. I will be checking up on you to make sure everything is okay. If you ever need anything, or just want to talk, you can call or email me." He handed her a small card. "This is my email and my cell phone number." He shrugged at her slightly perplexed expression. "Someone will be able to show you how this works."

Haley carefully took the card in both hands and looked up at Daniel. "Thank you, Daniel, you have always been so kind, I won't forget it."

The driver came up at the point and looked impatient to get on the road. Haley looked forlorn as she moved to get into the car, steeling herself to being surrounded by strangers again. Daniel noticed her expression and before he stepped away from the car, he impulsively leaned forward and gave Haley a hug. Haley was startled momentarily and then gave Daniel a tremulous smile before closing the door. He wondered briefly if he was the first person to ever hold her. Daniel remained standing in the sun for some time, watching the cars disappear from the mountain.

* * *

Daniel threw himself into the translation work after Haley's departure. He locked himself away with the lab notes, desperate to get it done, not only because Haley deserved to know, but also because it was a good way to avoid everyone, namely Jack. Less than a week later, Daniel had all but finished translating the lab notes and what he was uncovering was far worse than anything any of them had imagined.

Jack, Sam, Teal'c and Daniel all met up for a briefing to discuss what Daniel had discovered. They were all curious, mainly because Daniel had been acting very strange lately and now, standing in front of them, he had the look of someone who would rather be anywhere else in the universe. Sam sent him a concerned look and Daniel seemed to flinch under her gaze.

"Okay, Danny-boy. Whatcha got?"

Daniel shuffled nervously through his papers for a moment before taking a deep breath. "I figured out what the Goa'uld were trying to do with Haley and why she is different than Jonathan and the others before him," he let out in a rush.

"Great. So fill us in."

"I…um…" It was unusual to find Daniel stumbling over his words; usually he was just up and running. "It's probably best if I just read the pertinent sections."

Jack and Sam shared a look, silently asking each other 'what the heck is up with him?' Then Jack gestured for Daniel to continue.

Daniel shifted through his papers again, took a deep breath and began reading. "_Subject #6 demonstrated the same physical weaknesses as the previous four and expired before being able to provide any information. Subject #1 is still physically strong and shows no deterioration or negative side effects from the treatments. The subject still has made no progress, however, and shows little promise. While she demonstrates some level of fundamental knowledge, such as the ability to speak, read and write Goa'uld and the Tau'ri language, she is unable to provide information regarding the Tau'ri defenses, the location of off-world bases or anything about the Tok'ra. Baal has suggested that more information may be revealed if she is made a host, but I have been granted a bit more time with the subject first. I plan to breed her the next time a Tau'ri prisoner becomes available. I hope that any offspring will show greater promise and may be able to provide the information we seek_." Daniel had spoken quickly as if hearing it swiftly would make it less disturbing somehow.

The table was silent as they took in the detached language of the entry and the meanings behind what they heard. After a while, Sam somewhat breathlessly said, "Genetic memory."

Everyone looked around to stare at Sam. "Genetic memory?" Jack parroted.

Sam nodded her head slowly. "Enki was bragging that he found the ultimate weapon to destroy us. We assumed it was an actual weapon, but what if he simply meant information? If he created a human that had the Goa'uld ability to access memories stored in genetic code, then they would theoretically have access to the totality of human experience and knowledge."

"Such experimentation is forbidden, even to the Goa'uld," declared Teal'c.

Sam smiled wryly at Teal'c. "Just because something is forbidden doesn't mean that people don't sometimes try it anyway. Apophis broke the rules easily enough by having a harcesis child. Even the NID tried to blend human and Goa'uld DNA. Remember Dr. Keffler and Anna?"

"But Anna was…well, nuts, wasn't she?" asked Jack.

"Well, it's not an easy thing to do, as demonstrated by the Goa'uld's repeated failure even with advanced technology. Haley did say that she had seen six children die. They were all failed 'experiments.' Even Keffler ran into a problem he didn't foresee. Somehow the Goa'uld's DNA that he used managed to take her over."

"Haley was here for an extended period and showed no signs of a second personality," offered Teal'c.

Sam nodded and looked at Daniel, who had remained silent throughout the conversation. "Did the notes ever mention any emergence of a second personality?"

Daniel shook his head, "There was no reference to anything like that."

"Okay, so the Goa'uld got one over on ol' Doc Keffler. But it still sounds like they didn't manage to get any information out of her, so they failed too, right?"

Sam didn't answer right away, instead she was thinking over what Daniel said again. "In the notes, Enki seemed to think that Haley would be able to know things about us and the Tok'ra. That means he must have used genetic material from someone from the SGC and the Tok'ra. Does it mention anything about that in the notes, Daniel?"

Daniel was doing a good impression of a deer in the headlights. Jack leaned over and poked Daniel. "What is going on with you, Daniel?"

Daniel started at the contact and then shook his head. He just gestured weakly at the papers in his hand. "This is one of the earliest entries we have: '_A great opportunity has offered itself to me today. I will be able to begin my experiments anew and Baal will reward me richly when I am able to hand him detailed information about our enemies! Today three intruders were captured. While the female was interrogated, I scanned her, intending to acquire a genetic sample, but was startled to discover that the female carried an early stage embryo. I was quick to harvest it. The resulting child will be the cornerstone of my new project. It is unfortunate that the intruders later escaped, I know that Baal was especially angry to lose the sholva, he had planned to make an example of him_.'"

Sam had always wondered how a room could 'ring' with silence, but now, in the aftermath of Daniel's information, she finally understood. The silence was so complete that her ears seemed vibrate with the emptiness. She stubbornly continued her inane contemplation of the silence, anything rather than think about what that last entry seemed to suggest.

"Haley lacks the flaws the boy had because she is a human child who's DNA has been tampered with, rather than something made in a lab," Teal'c paraphrased.

Daniel nodded. "From the notes, it seems that they used a type of gene therapy to add certain strings of Goa'uld DNA. Then they used nanocytes to accelerate the aging process. She said she had spent her entire life with the Goa'uld, we just didn't realize how young she really is."

"And you believe that Enki's entry suggests that Haley is ColonelCarter's child," Teal'c stated bluntly.

Daniel merely nodded, looking carefully at the still-silent Sam.

"Are the entries time-stamped?" Jack inquired calmly of Daniel.

Daniel mutely nodded and began shuffling through his sheaf of papers. "The first entry is from about a year ago. I compared the date to our mission reports. It matches up with our run in with Baal."

"We were his prisoners for nearly twenty-four hours. Colonel Carter was taken from our cell to be interrogated by Baal," confirmed Teal'c.

"You can't actually be suggesting..." Everyone turned to look at Sam, who had finally been brought out of her shock by the guys' conversation. "I would have known!"

When they all continued to stare at her with a combination of pity and understanding, Sam just got angrier. "You can't possibly be trying to say that I not only was pregnant without knowing it, but that they also managed to remove my unborn child without any of us ever finding out!" She looked frantically around at her friends, but none of them had anything to offer her. Her anger quickly fled and she found herself staring at her hands in numb disbelief.

Jack startled them all by abruptly leaving the table and ducking into his office. They could hear his voice speaking to someone on the phone. "Have Dr. Warner report the briefing room as soon as possible." It wasn't more than five minutes until the doctor appeared. Jack went straight up to him, his voice brisk. "Dr. Warner, I need you to run a paternity test on Haley. Do you have whatever samples you would need to do that still available?"

Dr. Warner looked slightly startled by the question, but taking in Jack's no-nonsense attitude, he simply replied, "Yes, General. I will, of course, need a sample from the other party as well."

"You will be comparing Haley's sample with Colonel Carter. Do you need her to accompany you or do you already have what you need on file?"

"I already have all that I need to run the test."

Jack nodded. "How long?"

"I could have it done by the end of today, sir."

"Good, get to it."

Taking that as his dismissal, Dr. Warner headed out of the briefing room, only to be stopped by Jack's voice. "Doctor, I expect you to run the tests yourself. This is not to be shared with anyone else."

The doctor nodded his understanding and exited the room, doing his best to tamp down his instinctual curiosity. He was smart enough to know when to keep his mouth shut and keep his musings to a minimum. And now was certainly one of those times if the expression on the General's face was anything to judge by.

Jack didn't stay in the room long after the Doctor left. He glanced at Sam for a moment, taking in her glazed look before he retreated back to his office. His voice could once again be heard talking to someone on the phone. "Get me Major Davis."

The conversation started out softly and the three figures still sitting in the briefing room, completely shell-shocked, were unable to make out much of it. That all changed a few moments into the conversation. Jack's voice suddenly rose dangerously and his tone was one that he usually reserved for dirty politicians and pompous Goa'uld.

"She WHAT!" came the explosion from the office, causing everyone in the briefing room to jump. "And you didn't feel the need to inform us why!" A few moments of silence were followed by a string of very creative curses. "Frankly, Major, I don't give a damn about jurisdiction. You have a report of everything you have to me with in the hour or so help me…" The vague threat seemed to have been enough because soon after, Jack slammed down the phone. He took a moment to lean on his desk and take control of his emotions as much as possible before facing the people in the briefing room.

They would have to be stupid, or deaf not to know that something was wrong and yet Sam and Daniel still looked questioningly up at Jack as he finally made his way back to the briefing room. He shook his head wearily at them. "I'm sorry. Haley never made it to the Pentagon."

"What do you mean, Jack?" asked Daniel tremulously, exhausted by the emotional strain of the last few weeks.

"Her convoy was hit outside of Washington."

Sam was staring at Jack as if the words coming out of his mouth were Ancient. "I don't understand."

Jack sighed heavily and looked Sam straight in the eye. "Haley was kidnapped and they suspect that it was the NID."

* * *

A couple of hours later, Jack ended up outside Sam's lab. She had abruptly fled the briefing room earlier and they had let her, knowing she had a lot of painful information to process. Jack stood outside her door, really dreading the coming conversation. With a final glance at the non-descript manila folder that Dr. Warner had given him, Jack knocked on the door and pushed open the door.

Sam heard him enter, but didn't look up from the naquadah reactor she was working on. Jack let her ignore him for almost five minutes before he sighed heavily. "Carter. You can ignore me all you like, but that's not going to make any of this go away."

After another minute or so, she finally looked up; her eyes darting from his quietly resigned face to the folder in his hand. "So," she finally said with false levity as she turned back to the machine on her desk, "Haley looks pretty fully grown to be a three-month old infant."

"We're going to get her back, Carter. I promise."

Sam ignored the accolade and continued to try and absorb the information she knew was now confirmed in that damningly everyday manila envelope. "I can't believe I never knew. I always thought that a woman would just know, somehow. I should never have gone through the 'gate, if I'd known…"

"You can't possibly blame yourself for this."

"Why can't I?" Sam demanded, her voice beginning to rise. "If this is really all true, I let them take my child from me! And then, once she was finally free of the Goa'uld and their damn experiments, we practically hand her over to the heartless, self-serving NID bastards to do god knows what to her!"

"That was my call, Carter. If you need someone to blame, it should be me."

Sam didn't want to listen to Jack anymore and made a move for the exit. As she crossed to the door, Jack grabbed her arm. "Carter, I know it sounds like an empty cliché, but I swear we will get her back, no matter what it takes."

Sam looked up at Jack and had to work to smother the urge to just lean into him for a moment. To let herself feel his arms around her just once more. As her mind drifted to long-suppressed memories, she jerked her arm from Jack's grasp and stepped quickly away from him.

"Carter?" Jack asked, confusion clear in his voice.

Sam just rubbed her eyes in exhaustion and shook her head. "I'm fine, Sir. I am sure we will find a way to get Haley back. I just…need some time alone right now."

Jack knew this was his cue to get out, but he couldn't help but think that Carter was just telling him what he wanted to hear so he would leave her alone. Deciding to let her win this round, Jack gave her one last long look before leaving her to the quiet solitude of her lab.

* * *

Daniel looked up from the ancient tablet he was trying to distract himself with to find Sam standing in his doorway. There was a manila envelope clutched in her hand.

Daniel gestured at the folder, "Is that…"

Sam just nodded. After a moment, she said in a broken voice, "She's my daughter."

"God, Sam. I'm so sorry."

"Not your fault, Daniel."

"It's not your fault either, Sam."

She didn't acknowledge his words, instead, she gestured towards his crowded desk. "I need a copy of the complete translation of Enki's notes. I need to know…"

Daniel thought it a cruel punishment to force herself to read everything that had been done to her child, but he understood the need. He handed them to her and before she could leave he said, "Sam. You know you can talk to me about this, right?"

She turned back at the door and looked at him with a ghost of a smile. "Not yet, Daniel. Not until we have her back." And then she was gone.

* * *

Major Paul Davis charged into the briefing room with a videocassette tape in his hand. Without any preamble, he strode up to the VCR and said, "You guys are going to want to see this."

"Welcome to the Mountain, Major. Permission to barge in granted."

Major Davis chose to ignore the General's ever-present sarcasm and simply nodded at him and said "Sir," in acknowledgement of his comment. "Agents just raided a NID safe house in Chicago." At Sam's hopeful look, he shook his head. "No, we didn't find Haley, but we did find three rogue agents in various levels of pain. And this tape." He pushed the tape into the player and footage from a sort of security camera came up on the screen.

In the black and white footage, they could clearly see Haley strapped to a bed in a dank, lab-like room. Along the back wall were computers and monitors, while a table next to Haley held surgical-looking instruments, syringes and what looked like tasers. At the moment, Haley seemed to be unconscious. After only a few minutes, however, two men entered the room wearing non-descript dark suits. They were apparently talking to each other, though the tape had no sound. Their discussion was interrupted when Haley began to have a sort of seizure.

"Oh, god," said Sam softly. She was being torn apart by what she was seeing and yet at the same time was strangely unable to look away. Jack unconsciously moved closer to Sam and put a reassuring hand on her arm.

On the tape, one of the men leaned over Haley. Haley immediately stopped seizing and the next thing anyone knew, she had grabbed his sidearm and efficiently knocked him unconscious with the butt of his own gun. Before the other man in the room could even react, Haley had freed her other hand and was pointing the gun at him. She was speaking to him and waving the gun threateningly. With her free hand, she made quick work of the restraints at her ankles. Free of the bed, she warily circled the man, who, seemingly at Haley's order, kneeled down and put his hands behind his head.

Haley was just reaching over to relieve the man of his gun when the door to the room opened and a woman in a white lab coat entered. The man at Haley's feet took advantage of the momentary distraction to knock the gun from Haley's hand. He took a swing at her, but she was ready. She ducked his blow and landed a solid hit to the man's solar plexus, momentarily stunning him. Haley pressed her advantage and efficiently cold-cocked him with one hit. He slumped to the ground, and now Haley was left facing one opponent.

The woman, upon taking in the scene in the lab, had quickly grabbed a baton-like taser from the table and now stood her ground in front of the only exit. She was making it clear that there was no way she was going to allow Haley to leave that room. Haley seemed slightly wary at the sight of the taser in the woman's hand. Haley dove for the gun on the floor to her left, but the other woman was faster and she lunged out to hit Haley squarely in the back with the taser.

The observers were thankful for the lack of sound as Haley fell to her knees; her mouth stretched wide open, obviously releasing an agonizing scream. Rather than debilitating her, though, the woman and her taser seemed to just make Haley even angrier. Haley spun quickly back to her feet, her hand making firm contact across the woman's face and was followed by a quick, ruthless kick to her chest that sent the woman flying against the back wall where she crumpled limply.

Haley stood for a moment, her chest heaving with exertion and anger before she began methodically sweeping the room, picking up all weapons. Haley carefully checked the pulse of the agents before tying each of them up securely. Before tying the woman up, Haley removed her lab coat and outer clothing. Haley discarded her own pajama-like clothing and quickly donned the other woman's clothing. She even took the woman's glasses. She then searched each body for wallets and cell phones. She took the money and credit cards from each.

Glancing up at the camera for the first time, Haley flipped open one of the cell phones and placed a call before leaving the room.

"She called 911 to complain that she heard screaming and what might be gunshots from the building, pretending to be a concerned neighbor," supplied Major Davis to the silent room after pausing the tape.

"She didn't want the NID guys to go free," hypothesized Jack.

Major Davis nodded his agreement.

"So where is she now?" asked Daniel.

"She is turning out to be a lot more resourceful than we thought. Our sweeps of the area revealed nothing, but we were able to trace some activity on the credit cards taken from the rogue agents. She purchased four train tickets and three bus tickets, each traveling to different major cities."

"She's trying to cover her tracks," observed Jack.

"Which means she doesn't want to be found," commented Daniel. "We convinced her she was safe and then we let her end up a lab experiment just like the Goa'uld! Of course she would want to get as far away from us as possible."

"Damn it, Daniel, now is not the time," Jack growled, looking pointedly at Sam, who was still staring at the television screen.

"How did she know to do that?" came the soft question from Sam.

"What?" Jack asked distractedly.

"She not only effectively escaped but also knew to dial 911 and to purchase bus and train tickets. She'd never even been outside this base or Baal's mothership before any of this. How could she possibly have been able to do any of that?"

They all stared at the screen, processing Sam's questions, but none of them had any answers.

* * *

Daniel sat on a small hill outside the Mountain. He tried to imagine what Haley would think of the trees that surrounded him. Taking a deep breath, he tried to relax into the moment. He had escaped the Mountain to find a few moments of peace. In the tunnels below this serene forest, people were running here and there, coordinating the search for Haley. They had checked out all of the destinations she had purchased tickets to, but no one was surprised when all they turned up were empty seats and dead ends. She was out there, somewhere, and they had no idea how to find her.

The peace of the forest was shattered by the shrill ring of Daniel's cell phone. Someone had obviously noticed he was gone. He sighed and picked up the cell on the third ring. "Hello?"

There was protracted silence on the other end, but something kept Daniel from hanging up. "Hello?" He glanced at the caller ID, but it showed an unlisted number. After another few moments of silence, Daniel, on a gut feeling, ventured to ask, "Haley?"

Another long moment passed before he heard the single word, "Why?"

His gut clenched at the accusatory tone. "Haley, we didn't do this, I promise. Please, just come back to Colorado Springs. We can protect you."

She snorted at that. "Obviously you can't," she said harshly.

"Please, Haley, we just want to know that you are okay."

"Okay?" she asked incredulously. "Do you have any idea what they did to me?" Her voice broke off, abruptly. He could hear her take a deep breath and then sigh. Her voice was softer now and laced with sadness. "I just wanted you to know, Daniel, that I can take care of myself. You don't need to worry about me." Before Daniel could say anything else, she said, "Goodbye, Daniel," and hung up. He stared at the inactive phone for long moments, desperately hoping that wasn't the last time he ever heard her voice.

* * *

Just as Daniel finished relaying his conversation with Haley to the others, Major Davis burst back into the room. "She used one of the credit cards. She's either getting desperate or getting sloppy."

"Where?" asked Jack.

"A small gas station near Miami Beach in Florida. We have people on their way to search the area. I'm flying out ASAP to coordinate. I think this is it, guys."

"I hope so," mumbled Jack, not quite sounding convinced as he watched the men file out of the room.

* * *

Getting in had been easier than Haley expected. It seemed that no one had thought that she would return to the scene of the crime. She abandoned the rusty clunker she had bought with cash in Chicago in a back alley in Colorado Springs and had hiked up the rest of the way to the Mountain. With the supplies she had purchased from a survivalist in Montana, she easily slipped down the access shaft, her mask protecting her from the tear gas. Soon she had stepped into the silent halls and didn't even have to hesitate as she headed for the nearest armory on her way to the security room.

Not much time had passed before Haley stood in the security room watching the various screens before her. She carefully stepped over one of the prone bodies on the floor as she switched one of the monitors to show the control room. There were only two bored looking young men inside. They would be easy to take out. Haley's major problem was in the form of General O'Neill who she could see leaning restlessly on his desk. Haley would have to be quick and quiet if there was any chance for her plan to succeed.

She managed to take out the first soldier with little fuss, but the second heard her coming. Haley managed to cut him off from the alarm, but he still managed to shut out the dialing computer before Haley disabled him with a single blast from her zat. 'Dammit,' she thought to herself, 'there was no way someone didn't hear that.' Haley turned to the computer and knew she would have only moments to get the gate going. Without giving it much conscious thought, her fingers began to fly over the keys.

Jack sat slumped in his chair staring mindlessly at a report in front of him. He really hoped that Davis managed to find Haley in Florida, but his instincts told him that she had already demonstrated far too much wiliness to do something as stupid as using a credit card. His phone ringing startled him, causing him to knock one of his files to the floor. He cursed quietly before picking up the phone, "O'Neill."

"General, sir, this is Major Davis."

"What have you got, Major?"

"Sorry, sir. All we found was a very scared teenager with some stolen credit cards."

Jack closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, Major. Not really unexpected if you ask me."

"We'll keep looking, sir."

"Of course. Report back when you have more." Jack hung up the phone and sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair. He was beginning to realize that they would never find Haley until she was ready to be found.

He had just laid his head down on his desk to catch some quality office sleep when he heard the distinct sound of zat fire. "What the hell?" he muttered before he grabbed his phone to call Security. There was no answer. Just as he jumped up to hit the alarm, the PA system blared, "Unauthorized Gate Activation!" Over the din, Jack could vaguely hear the grinding of the Stargate rotating. He grabbed his gun from his desk drawer and headed down the control room to see what the hell was going on.

Jack entered the Control Room and noted the unconscious airmen just in time to see the Stargate swoosh into life. There was a single figure standing at the base of the ramp, silhouetted against the rippling surface of the gate. Jack slammed his hand down on the iris control, but nothing happened. He looked up to helplessly watch Haley walk up the ramp. She had only made it halfway when one of the blast doors slid open to reveal Carter and Daniel running into the room. They both stopped abruptly at the sight of Haley on the ramp.

Daniel had just reached out an arm and said something to Haley that made her pause for a moment when Teal'c and Walter charged into the Control Room. Teal'c regarded the scene with a raised eyebrow. "You have successfully located Haley," he observed.

Jack ignored him and turned to Walter. "Get that wormhole shut down, now." Walter nodded and began working at the nearest console. 'Just keep her talking a little longer, Daniel,' Jack thought to himself.

* * *

Haley abruptly stopped when she heard Daniel call her name. She only needed to take a few more steps and she would finally be free, but she felt her treacherous body turn back to look at Daniel. Colonel Carter stood by his side and looked terrified, though of what, Haley could not say.

"Haley, please. You don't need to do this."

Haley glanced up at the Control Room to see a man working at one of the computers. She didn't have much time left. "I'm sorry, Daniel, but I can't stay here and you can't keep me safe."

"Do you really think it's any safer out there? What about the Goa'uld?"

"Maybe it's not any safer, but I won't stay here, because I finally realized something."

"What?" Colonel Carter asked softly, her eyes beseeching Haley in a way she didn't understand.

"You are no better than the Goa'uld," Haley stated bluntly before turning her back on them and walking the last few steps to the event horizon.

Haley's accusation hit hard on everyone watching, and Sam's eyes actually filled with tears. Daniel gave her a concerned glance and then stepped towards Haley. "Haley, wait." He glanced quickly at Sam before plowing on. "We translated the lab notes we brought back," he blurted desperately as Haley moved to enter the wormhole. This seemed to catch Haley's attention and she turned back towards them. She was careful to leave one arm in the wormhole, making it clear that in order to disengage the wormhole they would have to be willing to amputate her arm.

"I'm listening."

"You're not like Jonathan and the others, Haley."

Haley gave Daniel an impatient glare that seemed to say, 'I already knew that, move on.'

"They were created in that lab. They were made, but you, Haley, you were stolen. They took you from your mother's womb."

This was _not_ something Haley had already known judging by the look of astonishment on her face. She stared at Daniel for a moment. "Are you saying that I…have parents? That I'm not just some experiment?" Her face was so hopeful that it almost broke Daniel's heart. Daniel felt Sam come up beside him.

"I never knew, Haley. I swear."

Haley's eyes snapped onto Sam at the soft words. "What do you mean?" she asked suspiciously.

"He took you from me, Haley, and I never knew. I'm so sorry."

Haley seemed to sway on her feet for long moments before she finally found her voice long enough to say, "What exactly are you saying?"

Daniel watched the two women with his heart in his throat, allowing himself for the first time to catalog the physical similarities between them. He could almost see Haley doing the same thing, finding parts of herself in the woman standing in front of her.

At length, Sam finally confirmed, "I'm your mother, Haley. Please don't walk away."

Haley looked so torn, her face confused, hopeful and suspicious all at the same time. Daniel tried to smile comfortingly as he took one more small step towards Haley and stretched his hand out to her. "You can trust us, Haley."

"I don't know how," came Haley's soft voice.

"Please, Haley. Give us a chance, I can't lose you again," Sam pleaded.

Haley looked back at the woman who was her mother, her actual, natural mother. Someone she had hoped existed for so long. Now she was here, and she was promising to protect her, to take care of her. And Haley found herself desperately wanting to believe her. As she stood, concentrating on the woman that was her mother, a brief image flashed through her mind. Colonel Carter sat in a dark, dank room with a small child in her arms, both of them crying. _I won't leave you_, the promise echoed through Haley's head and she knew, somehow, that this woman had kept her promise at all costs. Maybe she could trust her to do the same with her own daughter.

Without consciously making the decision, Haley started walking down the ramp. The next thing she knew, her fingers were curled around her mother's outstretched hand and the wormhole behind her disengaged. A new chapter was opening for them both.


	5. Adjusting

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Adjusting  
Author: Annerb  
Rating: PG, minor language and violence  
Summary: Sam and Haley deal with their new relationship  
Classifications: Series, S/J Angst, Drama, Mid-season 8   
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Archive: Yes, SJD and Heliopolis  
DisclaimerThe characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Here's part 5. I hope you like Haley, she's got a long path ahead of her. This chapter is pure angst and fluff. I promise more action next time! Thanks for all the great feedback! Triptnx and Montage: you guys keep me going! (That's a good thing, I swear ;)

Feedback: Always appreciated!

_**Part 5: Adjusting**_

Watching Haley and Sam together was almost painful, Jack noted. Not only because of what Haley represented, an unwelcome reminder of Sam's relationship with Pete, but also because of the palpable unease between the two. Suddenly they were mother and daughter and neither of them seemed to have any idea how to deal with the revelation. Jack had rarely, if ever, seen Carter this unsure of herself. He imagined her guilt would be nearly unbearable. Heck, he felt guilty and she wasn't even his daughter. They all seemed to feel that they should have been able to protect her from the Goa'uld and the NID even more so. She should have been safe on earth. Jack had been the one to let her leave the facility under the care of the Pentagon; he was as responsible as anyone for what happened to Sam's daughter.

Having finished telling Haley everything they had managed to translate from the Enki's lab, they all sat in silence in the briefing room. Haley was still reeling from the fact that she actually had parents; that she wasn't just something made in a lab. She really was human, with a mother and a father. That thought brought her up short. She looked up at the Colonel, check that, her _mother_.

"Colonel Carter." Sam's head shot up at her title. They both realized the absurdity of Haley addressing her mother in such a formal way. Sam seemed saddened by it.

"Haley…do you think you could not call me Colonel? It just seems…" her voice faltered and she came to a clumsy stop. Her eyes, however, seemed to plead with Haley.

Haley didn't think she could bring herself to call this near-stranger mother. She opened her mouth to try, but just shook her head and looked away, unable to bear the look on the older woman's face.

Daniel, propelled into action by the pathetic scene before him, jumped in to help. "How about Sam for now? That's what her friends call her and at the very least, we are all friends now, right?" Haley nodded mutely, not missing the grateful look that Sam threw Daniel.

"Of course. Well…Sam, I was just wondering…um…about my father?" At her question the atmosphere in the room rapidly changed. Haley noted everyone's reactions with curiosity. She had thought it a rather straightforward question, but their expressions told otherwise. Sam seemed to pale a bit as if unprepared to answer the question. Daniel sent a concerned look at Sam as if equally unsure of her reaction. Teal'c remained impassive as ever, though he did almost imperceptibly move closer to Sam's chair. While Daniel and Teal'c betrayed concern for Sam, General O'Neill's posture became rigid, and Haley had the feeling that he really didn't like the turn the conversation had taken, though she couldn't imagine why.

Haley decided that she didn't need to know right now. "I'm sorry," she said in a slightly shaky voice, "I don't really need…"

Sam cut her off. "No, of course you deserve to know. It's just…" She seemed to be failing to steel herself against whatever she had to say.

Daniel once again swept in to save the day. "It's a little complicated. Your dad isn't part of the program and…well, Sam isn't with him anymore." Daniel looked to Sam to see if he should say anymore, but she was staring blindly at the table, her face inexpressive.

Haley was also closely watching her mother's face, assuming that it must have been a bad break-up. Was her father a horrible person? Did she really want to know? At least he didn't seem to be dead. "What is his name?"

"Pete Shanahan," Daniel supplied when it became clear that Sam wasn't going to answer.

"Pete Shanahan," Haley repeated softly. She closed her eyes and thought of the name, concentrating all of her will on it. From deep within a great fog in her mind, Haley began to see a smiling face, a farm and then a blue uniform. Before she could grab onto any of the elusive images they were gone.

She opened her eyes to find them all watching her intently. Self-consciously she shifted in her chair and then looked at her mother. "He wears a blue uniform…a keeper of the peace or something. Is that right?"

Sam looked shocked but nodded her head. "Pete was…is a policeman. They protect people and make sure that the laws are followed."

Now it was Jack's turn to join in the conversation. "How exactly did you know that, Haley?"

"I don't know, I just thought about the name and I think I saw him." She shook her head. "It's happened a few times, ever since…" she broke off and shuddered, unwilling to think of things that had happened to her at the hands of those faceless men.

"Ever since the NID kidnapped you?" Jack finished for her.

Haley nodded, "I don't know what they did, but it's like there was a wall in my head, and they poked a hole in it. It doesn't always work, but sometimes, I just know things."

"That's how you knew to break into the dialing program and use the Stargate," Daniel said in his awestruck, look-at-me-I'm-connecting-the-dots voice.

Jack looked alarmed at this new information. Haley rushed to prove herself. "I didn't tell them anything. I may have been…angry…that you let them take me, but I didn't betray you. Especially not to people who would do such things."

"No one is accusing you of anything, Haley," assured Daniel. He looked archly at Jack, "Right, Jack?"

"Of course not," agreed Jack distractedly. He was contemplating what all of this meant. She had potential access to unknown amounts of information about Earth and through Sam, the Tok'ra. And now the NID and who knows who else knew about Haley.

Teal'c seemed to be contemplating the same things. "Haley must be kept safe at all costs. Our enemies must not be allowed to have such an advantage over us and our allies."

Jack nodded, knowing Teal'c was right, but unsure of where that left Haley.

Daniel, who had been looking confused, seemed to have caught up with the two other men. "What exactly are you saying? That Haley can't ever leave the Mountain?"

"Daniel, we are not suggesting that she be locked up. But even you must comprehend what this means. She knows everything Carter knows! It's a bit of a security risk!"

"Actually O'Neill, according to the research notes, Haley should have access to Colonel Carter and all of those before her, including General Carter, as well as Jolinar and all of her hosts and all of the Goa'uld."

The staggering amount of memories and information that this covered momentarily stunned Daniel. He quickly recovered. "That can't be, though. If she did have access to these memories…she would be evil or at the very least, crazy. Remember Shifu. Oma blocked all of his Goa'uld memories because it would have overwhelmed him. _The only way to win is to deny the battle_."

"That may be so, Daniel, but she still knew stuff she shouldn't! You know I can't explain this, but I do know that the NID and Goa'uld will do anything to get their hands on that information." At Haley's outraged expression, he put his hands up. "You don't have to volunteer the information, Haley. They have ways to force it out of you, trust me."

"So, what? We just keep her hidden down here like a state secret along with the Stargate? Or maybe ship her off to the beta site?"

"You know that's not what I-" Jack was cut off as Sam abruptly stood.

"Stop it." Her voice was quiet, but firm. "Above all, Haley is a person. And she is also sitting right in front of you, so stop discussing her like she is not even here."

Haley nodded her thanks to her mother, but Jack moved to open his mouth again. Sam quickly interrupted. "Look, sir, I understand that there are safety issues to be considered, and I trust you to come up with something secure and fair. But this is my daughter we are talking about, not some new alien technology. Please keep that in mind." Sam got up and walked around the table to stand behind her daughter. "For now, though, I think we have said enough. Haley looks exhausted and a little overwhelmed. I am going to take her to some quarters and let her rest."

Haley stood up and smiled weakly at Sam, grateful to get out of the charged atmosphere of the briefing room. She noted the somewhat shell-shocked faces of the men in the room as she followed her mother out of the room. Sam had easily steam-rolled all of them, Haley thought with a small smile. She was proud to note that her mom could kick some ass when she needed to. And if Haley had some of this woman in her, then maybe she would be okay too.

* * *

Jack had given Haley the whole night to rest, but first thing in the morning, he sent Dr. Warner to get a full check-up on Haley. Jack wanted to know exactly what he was dealing with. He was sure to hear it from Carter and Daniel later, but Jack had to think of base security first. 

As soon as he finished, Dr. Warner was sitting in Jack's office, giving him a full report.

"Well, sir, she seems to have been subjected to significant amounts of shock therapy. There are burns on many parts of her body, but most of them should heal on their own. It seems that the people who held her were careful not to permanently damage her."

Jack didn't reply, but just continued to stare at the doctor. Jack really hated this part of his job. Why would he really want to hear everything those slimy bastards had done to Haley? But it was Jack's responsibility to be on top of this sort of stuff. Jack gestured for the doctor to continue.

"I also found traces of various chemicals in her system. Some of them I couldn't identify, but one of them seems to have been sodium pentothal. I also think they may have used TD."

"Truth serums," Jack mumbled. "Do you think that shock therapy and drugs could lead to her new abilities to access certain memories?"

Dr. Warner shook his head. "I really couldn't hazard a guess, sir. Her MRI is unlike anything I have seen before. The basic structure of her brain differs from a normal human in many ways. The areas dedicated to language and memory are significantly enlarged, which I guess isn't too big of a surprise. But there are complex cells and structures in that area that I have never seen, let alone heard of, before."

"What exactly does all this mean, doctor?"

Dr. Warner just shrugged and had the good grace to look chagrined. "To be honest, sir, I have no idea. She seems to be in good health and I see no reason to think that her brain isn't functioning in a perfectly acceptable way for her. There is really nothing we can do other than watch her for any symptoms or abrupt changes in behavior."

Jack looked less than pleased to have what amounted to a ticking time bomb of information running around. He knew exactly what he would like to do in such a situation, but the fact that this was Carter's daughter they were talking about complicated what would otherwise be an open and shut case. If he was honest, he still didn't entirely trust Haley. She just knew too damn much. But there was little or nothing he could do about it. Jack dismissed the doctor and sighed, reluctantly realizing that he was going to have to restrict Haley to the base. Needless to say, there were going to be some very unhappy campers.

* * *

Haley hadn't been nearly as upset as everyone else at the pronouncement of her restricted status. Not that she would admit it, but she was personally rather reluctant to go running around a world that had already proven itself to be less than friendly. If she was allowed an occasional visit to the surface, she could be content. 

Daniel, on the other hand, took the information as a personal insult. He railed at Jack to no avail while Teal'c stood by in silent agreement with Jack's decision. Even Sam had backed down after a token protest, most likely limited by her military position. Although it was possible that she agreed with Jack, it would be easier to keep Haley safe in the nation's most secure military facility. Haley didn't have it in her to remind them all of how easily she had slipped into the base.

The weeks passed slowly for everyone. At Sam's request, SG-1 had been given some downtime so she could get to know her long-lost daughter. It still felt weird for Sam to refer to her as such, especially since technically Sam as barely old enough to be her mother. To say that their bonding wasn't going all that smoothly was an understatement. They could be seen together all over base, stiffly sitting together with surprisingly little to talk about. Haley refused to talk about what had happened to her when she was with the NID and it was quickly made clear that Jonathan was also an off-limit topic. Sam told Haley about Mark and his family and briefly discussed Earth, but to be honest, Sam didn't have much more of a life outside of the Mountain than Haley did.

Haley began to spend more and more time in Daniel's lab, ostensibly to help him with any Goa'uld translations he was working on. Daniel wasn't fooled. The translations were little more than unwelcome reminders of her 'childhood' and he could see her rubbing her temples absently while she worked. No matter her real reasons, however, Daniel couldn't find it in him to kick her out of his lab. He appreciated her company and she really was quite good, especially with the more obscure, older dialects that gave Daniel a lot of trouble. If she really felt the need to hide, Daniel was glad he could offer her refuge.

Not every day was full of heavy sighs and headaches, though. Some days Haley would regale Daniel with her interesting take on the universe. She was such an engaging mix of naïve and wise. She took great pleasure in new things, but seemed to have amazing insights on everything from human behavior to theoretical astrophysics (at least Daniel assumed she did, they didn't tend to talk about higher level science, primarily because Daniel didn't understand a word of it). Daniel would tell her stories about fascinating cultures he had run into, both because it distracted her from the translations for a while and also because she was a captive audience, a rare thing for Daniel in the SGC.

Daniel was laughing particularly hard at Haley's take on the Shavadai culture when he looked up to see Sam standing in the doorway to his lab. She smiled broadly at them, but not before Daniel could see the flash of pain in her eyes. He suddenly felt horribly guilty. There was still terrible strain between Haley and Sam and here he was sharing an unguarded moment with Haley, practically monopolizing her time. Of course, it didn't occur to Daniel in his guilty state that he would have had a hard time getting rid of Haley even if he had wanted to.

Sam asked them both if they wanted to get some lunch and Daniel jumped at the chance. He ignored Haley's hesitation and propelled her towards the commissary. They met up with Teal'c and Jack there. It was a rather rare occurrence to get all of them together like this these days. Jack was usually too busy to even eat; Daniel could have sworn he saw Walter hopping around in the hall with an armful of paperwork. Jack didn't seem to have noticed, however, as he dug into his food with relish. Daniel didn't know how he could really enjoy Monday Mystery Meal. Personally, he stuck to the sandwiches on Mondays.

Whatever conversation there had been at the table dropped off rather quickly and Daniel was left sharing a confused look with Teal'c. Sam and Haley seemed to have nothing to say to each other, as usual. But what surprised Daniel was the even greater strain between Haley and Jack. Haley seemed to be acutely aware that Jack didn't trust her and Daniel couldn't even begin to guess the source of Jack's unease. He really hoped this wasn't some poorly placed Pete agitation. It's not like Sam actually went through with marrying him. The longest conversation Haley and Jack had was Jack handing Haley a napkin and her quiet "Thank you, General O'Neill," in response.

When lunch was finally over, Jack having had enough of Walter's pacing outside in the hall, Haley followed Daniel back to his lab. He had half a mind to shake her and force her to go talk to Sam, but he knew that would only hurt Haley's feelings. So instead, he let her get suitably distracted by a new passage brought in by SG-5 before he started asking her questions about her relationship with Sam.

"Haley, I know it's not really my business, but why are you hiding from Sam?"

Haley looked up at Daniel. "Hiding? I'm not hiding."

"You can't actually expect me to believe that you love translating this much, or that my stories are really that interesting."

"Your stories _are_ interesting," Haley said half-heartedly.

Daniel laughed. "Maybe," he said disbelievingly, "but that's not really why you are here."

Haley sighed and began absently doodling on her pad of paper. "I'm not really avoiding her...much." 'Damn Daniel and his insight,' swore Haley. She thought she finally had a good thing going here. She was almost convinced that she could spend the rest of her life hiding in this lab.

"Come on, Haley. What is this really about?"

The one thing that annoyed Haley more than Daniel's perception was her own willingness to confide in him. She put down her pen and tried to put her feelings into words. "When she looks at me…I don't know, it's like she doesn't see me, all she sees is a reminder of things she would like to forget. There is just so much guilt whenever she looks at me. And it's not like I don't understand it, or even forgive her for it, it's just…hard to take after a while."

Daniel nodded in understanding. "You think you remind her of her failings."

Haley shrugged. "At the very least, I am constant reminder of her failed relationship. As to whether she feels guilty about Baal and the NID, I don't know." Haley tried to keep her voice free of any anger, but she was pretty sure she failed, judging by Daniel's next statement.

"You haven't forgiven her yet."

Haley's eyes flew to Daniel's face. She searched his expression for any recrimination, but there was none. Just simple understanding of her difficult position. After a while, Haley looked away and sighed. "No…I guess I haven't." It was hard for Haley to admit to, but as she said it, she knew it was true. She hadn't forgiven Sam.

"Logically, I know that none of this is her fault. But a part of me…is just so angry that you were all here, just within reach, while everything was happening to me. I also can't help but think that you would have all fought harder to keep me here when the Pentagon asked for me, if you knew who I really was."

Daniel looked thoughtful, but didn't deny it.

"It's childish, I know. But I just can't help feeling that way." Haley sighed and turned back to her translation, signaling the end to their discussion.

Daniel watched Haley for a long time, a plan beginning to formulate in his mind.

* * *

Sam was startled from her work by Daniel slapping down a piece of paper down on her desk. Sam looked up at him in confusion, but he just smiled brightly at her, looking annoyingly self-satisfied. He gestured for her look at the paper. Sam picked it up and saw that it was a flyer for a small cabin on the Oregon coast. It boasted beachfront property and central heating and air. 

"Uh…that's nice, Daniel, really. Are you taking some vacation time or something?"

Daniel rolled his eyes and gave Sam and exasperated look. "No, I'm not. But you are."

"I don't think so, Daniel. I'm swamped with work."

"Sam, don't be stupid." At Sam's raised eyebrows, Daniel quickly continued outlining his plan. "If you and Haley are ever going to fix whatever it is between you, you are both going to need to get out of here. Think of it as a bonding trip."

"You really think we need to go all the way to Oregon so we can bond?"

"Sam. She's never seen the ocean before. It would mean a lot to her, I'm sure of it."

"Then maybe you should take her," Sam said as she turned back to her work. She hoped that if she ignored Daniel long enough he might take his tempting offer and disappear.

"Stop pretending that you don't care. You have no idea what to do and I am offering you the perfect solution. Trust me."

Sam didn't look up from her laptop. "You know there is no way General O'Neill would let me take her from the Mountain. So why even bother talking about it?"

"Leave Jack to me. I already rented the place for you. Pack enough stuff for a week at the beach, Sam!" With that, Daniel practically waltzed out of her lab.

"You know, you really _are_ annoying, Daniel!" Sam called out after him affectionately.

* * *

"Absolutely not, Daniel." 

Daniel ran his hands over his face in frustration. He had been getting the same answer from Jack for the last twenty minutes. "Come on, Jack. I told you, I rented a second cabin less than 200 yards away that you can pack with security personnel to your heart's content."

"No."

"It'll only be for a week!"

"No."

"I think Haley deserves to see something of the world!"

"Still no."

"Sam is perfectly capable of taking care of herself and Haley!"

"Of that I have no doubt. After all, she has to baby-sit you all the time doesn't she?"

Daniel ignored the barb and decided it was time to pull out the big guns. Normally he wouldn't stoop so low as to use Jack's feelings against him, but this was a special circumstance. Anyway, it's not Daniel's fault that Jack was being so stubborn!

"Jaa-ack," Daniel said slowly, "Sam really needs this. You've seen the way she's been lately. You can't deny her this chance."

Now Jack was glaring at Daniel, completely aware of exactly what Daniel was trying to pull. "Daniel…" he growled warningly.

"I don't think a trip to the beach is going to significantly impact national security, Jack. Let them go." He could tell that Jack was beginning to crack, so he put the last nail in the coffin. "You know that if you don't, I will plague you, I mean, come personally to debrief you on my research. Every. Single. Day." Now Jack's eyes were wide with alarm and Daniel could tell that he was torn between beating Daniel up and just acquiescing to get him the hell out of his office.

Jack sighed and then nodded. "Fine. One week, and I want six special op guys in the house next door. I want four check-in calls a day. And I'd damn well better get an awesome souvenir." Anything to keep Daniel from boring him with endless archeologist talk, Jack told himself as he watched Daniel waltz out of his office. No body needed to know that Jack had really given in just because he wanted to see Carter smile again.

* * *

Sam still really couldn't believe that the General had given them permission to go. She was currently sitting on an airplane with her daughter (and a six-man security detail) somewhere over Idaho. Sam really wondered what exactly Daniel had done to get them here. Hopefully Sam wouldn't have to buy his soul back someday. 

Sam looked over at her daughter, who was currently staring out of the window. Neither of them had said much so far. Haley had been surprised that they were leaving the Mountain and Sam hadn't missed the mix of panic and excitement in her face. Sam remembered how reluctant to leave the base she had been after the whole Adrian Conrad thing. Hopefully this trip would be good for both of them. Haley had only broken the silence of the flight once to ask where they were going, but Sam just shook her head and told her it was surprise.

Once on the ground in the Portland Airport, Sam demanded to have a rental car to herself with Haley. Sam figured that if they were trapped in a car together that they might actually have to talk to each other. But as the miles passed, Sam couldn't help but notice that Haley was becoming more and more agitated. She kept looking back to see if the security guys were still behind them.

"You okay, Haley?"

Haley jerked as if caught doing something she shouldn't be. "I'm fine," she said quietly.

Sam almost kicked herself. This trip was supposed to be a fun, carefree vacation, but Haley looked like she was about have a panic attack. "Haley, I'm sorry. If you would really rather be back at the base, we can go back. Really. I want you to feel safe."

Haley's back stiffen and she looked upset to have been caught showing fear. "I'm fine," she said again, this time more firmly as she looked out at the passing scenery.

Sam sighed. 'This was going really well,' she thought sarcastically to herself. Sam knew the last thing Haley would want to do would be talk about her kidnapping, but maybe it was time for her to listen.

"I never told you, but I was impressed with the way you escaped the NID guys." Haley's back was ramrod straight, but she didn't say anything. "That move you used on the woman, it was a Jaffa skill. Teal'c taught it to me after I was kidnapped."

That got Haley's attention. She didn't look away from the window, but Sam could sense her interest. "About three years ago, this rich billionaire decided that my brain was the key to curing a rare illness he was suffering from. They grabbed me from a parking lot. I tried to fight them off, but there were just too many. I even managed to almost escape once, but they caught me. They had me for days before they decided to kill me so they could dissect my brain. General O'Neill got there just in time. If he had gotten there a minute later…" Sam trailed off and closed her eyes briefly at the memory. Carefully watching the road, Sam could now feel Haley's eyes on her.

"When I got back, I was jumpy for weeks. I didn't even want to leave the mountain, but I was too ashamed to admit how scared I was. For once, I actually felt safer off-world than I did on Earth. I don't know whose idea it was, but Teal'c decided to teach me some Jaffa self-defense to add to my Air Force training. I'm not sure that I'm any better prepared now, but it was empowering and I realized that I couldn't hide forever."

Sam chanced a glace at Haley to find her sitting back and watching the scenery. She didn't say anything to Sam, but she could tell Haley was thinking about what she had said. It might have been Sam's imagination, but she liked the think that Haley seemed a little more relaxed. They sat in silence for the rest of the trip until they pulled up in front of a small cabin surrounded by towering redwoods.

"This is it," Sam said quietly before leading her silent daughter away from the cars and into the trees. They followed a small path that wound around the house. Slowly, the trees began to thin and the ground turned to rock and then sand. Suddenly, the trees gave completely away and they were standing on a wide, empty beach that seemed to stretch on forever. Sam heard Haley gasp behind her. Looking back, she could clearly see the look of complete amazement on Haley's face.

Haley brushed past Sam and stepped out into the soft sand. Sam retreated some distance and settled on a fallen log, content to watch Haley as she explored this new wonder. Sam silently sent Daniel thanks for making her do this; it was completely worth it. If Sam hadn't been so grateful, she might have been annoyed that Daniel had been right once again. Instead, she smiled and watched her daughter wiggle her toes in the sand and lift her face into the salty breeze coming off the ocean.

Haley spent quite a long time wandering the beach in complete rapture. After about twenty minutes of just breathing in the air, listening to the waves and letting sand run through her fingers, Haley finally stepped forward to touch the water. She gasped when the cold water hit her toes and laughed as she tried to outrun an incoming wave.

After an hour or so, Haley walked back up the beach to sit next to Sam. Still watching the ocean, she softly said, "Thanks for bringing me here. It means a lot."

Sam smiled. "I wish I could take the credit, but it was Daniel's idea."

Haley nodded and continued to watch two gulls fighting over something in the sand.

"He remembered the story you told Jonathan," Sam said carefully, not wanting to push Haley too much. She could see Haley's back stiffen at her words and she sighed softly. "Look, Haley. I'm not expecting anything from you. I just want you to know…that you can talk to me. About anything."

Just when Sam was sure that she wasn't ever going to talk, Haley spoke so softly that Sam almost missed it. "Jonathan would have loved this."

"I'm sorry, Haley. I wish there was more we could have done for him."

Haley shrugged off Sam's apology and took a deep breath as if preparing herself to say something unpleasant. "When Jonathan died, I was sad and angry. But I was also…relieved," she confessed quietly.

Haley darted a quick glance at Sam to gauge her reaction. Her mother didn't look disgusted or horrified like she expected, though. Instead, Sam just continued to stare out over the ocean with sad eyes. It gave Haley enough courage to continue.

"My whole life," she said softly, "there was always one of the children there. They were sick and scared and they always looked to me to make it better. But there was nothing I could do. I couldn't make them better; I never even understood why they were so sick!" Haley closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "From the moment they first came out of that pod, they were hanging on my arm, looking at me with sad, hopeful eyes. All I could do was hold them when the pain became too much and tell them stories that promised brighter futures. But I knew it was a lie."

Haley felt her mother's hand grab onto hers. Sam didn't say anything, but the gentle pressure was enough to help Haley finish her broken confession. "So, when Jonathan died, there was a part of me that was relieved. I felt, I don't know…free or something. Like, for the first time, there was no longer anyone depending on me. There was no one left to fail."

After a long moment, Haley finally looked at Sam. "Does that make me a horrible person?"

Sam could tell that Haley had kept this bottled up for a long time. "Haley, you obviously loved Jonathan. You did everything you could possibly think of to keep him safe. You didn't want him to die, and you shouldn't feel guilty that he did. You've had so much responsibility and so much horror put on you for so long and you are so young. You did better than I could ever imagine anyone doing. I am…more proud of you than I can ever say, Haley."

Haley looked up at Sam with eyes full of tears and Sam gave into the urge to pull her into a hug. Haley resisted only for a moment before curving into Sam's body. They sat like that for a long time, mother and daughter, before Sam whispered into Haley's hair, "You're not a horrible person, Haley."

That simple statement offered Haley the absolution she didn't even know she craved. Eventually, she turned in her mother's arms to face the ocean again. Together, they watched the sun set in silence.

* * *

It wasn't an instant turn around, but the ice had certainly been broken between Haley and Sam. Haley began to realize that it was okay to let yourself need someone and Sam began to forgive herself for all the things she couldn't save Haley from. They spent their week on the beach, Sam teaching Haley how to body surf. They also took long walks down the shore while they learned how to talk to each other. They even spent one day in a small nearby town, giving Sam's credit card a workout of the kind it hadn't seen since Orlin. Sam overcompensated for missing Haley's childhood by buying her a huge wardrobe and Haley gladly let her, amazed by the vast variety of things available for purchase. They bent their heads together and laughed at the long-suffering security guards as they were used as personal baggage carriers. 

Far too soon, they were making lunch on their last full day at the cabin. Haley had grown accustomed to the salty breeze and the feel of sand under her feet. A huge part of her didn't ever want to return to the stifled halls of the SGC. Though she did miss Daniel…well, his lab at least. She was looking forward to doing more translations. Really.

Working on lunch together that last day, Haley finally confessed what had made her decide to stay at the SGC that fateful day after the NID kidnapping. "I was staring at you, trying to decide if I could trust you and I saw something."

"What?"

"It was you and a little girl, sitting in the dark. You were promising that you wouldn't leave her. You were both crying."

Sam put the knife she was cutting tomatoes with down and turned away from the counter. "Cassie," she said softly.

"You kept your promise. That's when I knew that I could stay."

Sam shook her head in amazement. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

Haley laughed. "Well, if it's weird for you, imagine how it is for me!"

"Have you had any more…flashes or whatever lately?"

Haley shook her head. "They don't happen very often and only when I am trying, you know. I have to concentrate really hard."

Sam nodded and turned back to making sandwiches.

"Though, I did have a pretty funny one last week."

"Oh, really?" Sam said, secretly delighted that she felt comfortable enough to confide in her.

"Yeah. I was in Daniel's lab helping him with a translation and suddenly I had this image of him being dragged through the sand by a large, hairy animal. I couldn't help but laugh out loud and Daniel looked at me like I was crazy. He wouldn't believe that I simply found the translation funny."

Sam smiled. "That certainly sound like Daniel, though I don't really remember that."

Haley shrugged, "Well, it was rather unclear. I might have seen it wrong."

"Do you enjoy helping Daniel with the translations?"

"Yeah, I guess. It feels good to contribute somehow and its not like there is a whole lot else to do in the Mountain. Unless you are going to let me join a SG team or something." Haley smiled mischievously at Sam, who was adamantly shaking her head.

"Not in this lifetime, kiddo."

* * *

Sam and Haley reappeared at the Mountain safe and sound with healthy tans and a much easier relationship at the end of the week. Daniel was glad to see that his enforced therapy trip had worked. Sam smiled gratefully at Daniel and Haley gave him a peck on the cheek and a soft, "Thanks, Daniel." Daniel couldn't hold back a quick "I told you so," to Jack, but the General was too busy watching Sam smiling at her daughter to even care. 


	6. Trust

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Trust  
Author: Annerb  
Warnings: Minor language  
Summary: SG-1 gets themselves into trouble and Jack may have to turn to an unexpected source for help.  
Classifications: Series, Drama, Action/Adventure  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Archive: Yes, SJD and Heliopolis  
Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: This came from me wondering what Haley and Jack would talk about if they were stuck on some planet together. Plus, I thought it was time for a break from pure Angst (yeah, right, who am I kidding?), so this is a little run of the mill episode adventure break. By the way, all the people who think I have lost the S/J plot, all I can say is patience is a virtue and that some is quickly heading your way, I promise! ;) Thanks for all the great feedback! Montage and Triptnx, as always, thanks for the encouragement!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

Part 6: Trust

Haley worked hard not to roll her eyes, but it was getting more and more difficult as each moment passed. She mechanically nodded her head yet again, as she had been doing for the last twenty minutes every time Sam paused to take a breath. Haley was staring intently at Sam's left eyebrow to make it appear that she was paying attention as the older woman droned on and on. It was a skill Haley had picked up quickly in the last few weeks. Sure, Haley wasn't actually listening to a word Sam was saying, but it wasn't like she hadn't heard this speech a thousand times before.

Haley risked a quick glance at Daniel, who was currently lounging in a chair behind Sam. Haley had to suppress a smile at the sight of Daniel's slightly glazed look. It must really be getting bad if Daniel had managed to lose all amusement in Sam's compulsive behavior. Haley felt her lips twitch and quickly looked back at Sam, hoping she hadn't noticed Haley's wandering attention. If Sam suspected for even a second that Haley had missed a word she said, she would undoubtedly start all over again, no matter how much it cost to keep a wormhole open.

Haley was about to risk opening her mouth to remind Sam of this fact when she was saved by General O'Neill charging up the stairs into the briefing room. Haley silently reflected that she had rarely been so glad to see him before.

"Colonel!" he barked. "Just _what_ in the hell do you think you're doing!"

Sam jumped like she had been shot and turned around to find General O'Neill glaring at her. Haley saw Sam's eyes quickly dart towards the open wormhole and back to the General's face before stammering out, "Sorry, sir. I seem to have lost track of time."

"Ya think?"

Sam flinched at his steely tone and gestured half-heartedly at Haley. "I was just making sure Haley was going to be okay while I was gone."

"Yes, you were. And I could even understand the need if this wasn't the sixth time you have been off-world since she first got here!" Sam visibly shrank under the General's relentless glare. "For cryin' out loud, Carter! She's not a child and it's not even like she's going to be alone! Siler and Walter can keep an eye on her."

Now it was Sam's turn to glare and General O'Neill cleared his throat awkwardly. "I mean…I'll watch out for her," he corrected petulantly. Haley was far too amused by their exchange to be offended. Daniel, Haley noted, was now leaning forward in his chair, once again enthralled by the scene in front of him.

With his back still to Daniel, General O'Neill sniped, "Cut it out, Daniel," and then wearily lowered his head into his hands. "Don't you two have a planet to explore?"

Daniel and Sam wisely bit back smiles and dashed for the gate room with a final wave at Haley. General O'Neill, meanwhile, seemed to have forgotten Haley was in the room, because he started muttering to himself something like, "No respect for the stars…" Haley couldn't risk being caught laughing at the General, so she quickly exited the room, sighing slightly at how uneventful the Mountain would seem without Sam and Daniel to drive the General insane for her amusement.

By this time, Haley had established a usual routine when SG-1 was off-world. She quietly skulked the halls, occasionally eavesdropping outside people's labs. She secretly loved listening to Dr. Felger mumble to himself when he thought he was alone. He certainly had a thing for SG-1. Once or twice a day, when she was sure the General was tucked away in his office, Haley would sit in the control room and chat with Walter. Haley still hadn't quite figured out what exactly Walter did besides opening and closing the iris, but he was still interesting to talk to. Sometimes she would hang out with Siler and watch him tinker with various interesting machines, offering advice when it came to her. All in all, it wasn't the most exciting of routines, but it passed the time. You'd be amazed how much time people watching can take up, and the SGC was full of some interesting specimens.

The only dark spot to her days was dinner, which General O'Neill insisted on taking with her when Sam was off-world, probably out of some misplaced sense of responsibility. It wasn't even like he enjoyed it, he usually had very little to say. One of them would comment about the food, the other would mention some meager piece of base gossip. Mostly they both just pretended to be enjoying their food.

This particular time, however, luck seemed to be on Haley's side. She had dutifully shown up at the required time, only to find the commissary blissfully General-free. She waited for about fifteen minutes before loading up her own dish and grabbing a corner table. She shamelessly shoveled her food down, hoping to escape before he managed to show up. Soon she was wandering through the rather empty halls with a slight stomachache for her troubles.

Eventually, Haley's curiosity got the better of her and she found herself peeking in to the control room. Upon seeing only Walter and some other unfamiliar airmen, Haley ventured to see if Walter was up for some conversation. As she approached the consol, however, she noticed General O'Neill down in the gate room with two SG teams.

"What's going on, Walter?"

Walter turned to look at Haley with a smile, but he seemed unwilling to share too much information. Unfortunately for Walter and many others like him, Haley had quickly worked it out that half the men on this base were secretly in love with her mother. Haley had been told (quite a few times) that she had her mother's smile and had rapidly come to the realization that it could be used as a devastatingly effective weapon. She turned a full-watt smile on Walter and waited for him to start showering her with information.

He blinked at her for a moment before replying, "SG-1 missed two scheduled check-ins. General O'Neill has decided to send in SG-4 and 7 as backup."

Haley's smile faltered at this information and she suffered the unpleasant effect of unease on top of her already unhappy stomach.

Walter must have noticed her sudden discomfort because he rushed to reassure her. "It's standard procedure. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Dr. Jackson probably convinced Colonel Carter to spend a little more time at some ruins or something. Or they unknowingly wandered out of radio range."

Haley nodded absently, completely willing to be reassured, but something in her gut (probably the Tuna Surprise) wouldn't let her. What were they always saying in those movies Teal'c made her watch all the time? 'I've got a bad feeling about this.' Usually right before they were swallowed by space monsters or smashed by galactic trash compactors.

While Walter was suitably distracted by dialing the Stargate to send off the SG teams, Haley hid herself away in a dark, out of the way corner of the control room, determined not to leave until SG-1's fate had been discovered. General O'Neill soon joined them in the control room and he either didn't notice Haley or simply decided to ignore her breach of protocol. Haley watched him pace the control room, wondering if he felt the same sense of foreboding that currently plagued her.

* * *

This was one of those times when Jack really hated his job, when he wished that he had never given up command of SG-1. Not because he didn't think Carter could handle it, but because waiting was something that Jack had never been good at. But that seemed to be the main activity of the Commander of the SGC. So he did it, pretending not to notice Haley or the way her wide eyes followed him as if asking him to just _do_ something. He waited for word of SG-1, waited for the wormhole to engage and bring them back.

Less than an hour later, he was roused from his dark thoughts by the alarms announcing an incoming wormhole. Jack rushed down to the gate room in time to see the SG teams returning with three stretchers carried between them. The PA system echoed with a call for a medical team and soon the room swarmed with white coats. Jack tracked down the commander of SG-4 and demanded to know what had happened.

"We found them 3 clicks west of the Stargate, sir. All three of them were lying unconscious next to a large stone monument of some kind. They were unresponsive, but generally stable so we booked it back with them as fast as possible. There was no evidence of unfriendlies. As far as we could tell, the planet is uninhabited." He handed Jack a digital camera. "This was found with Dr. Jackson, I thought maybe it might help figure out what happened."

Jack nodded and dismissed the man with "Good job, Colonel. We'll debrief at 0900." He glanced up at the control room to find Haley watching him, her face a carefully constructed mask.

* * *

Haley had managed to sneak into the infirmary rather easily while Dr. Warner was talking on the phone in his office. This was the one room in the SGC that she strictly avoided as a rule, mainly because it seemed to remind her of Jonathan and her time with the NID. Now, as she carefully approached the first bed that held Sam hooked up to a plethora of beeping and humming machines, she knew she would have yet another bad memory to associate with this place.

Haley reached out a hesitant hand to touch Sam's face and was alarmed at the heat that radiated from her skin. Sam's chest rose shallowly with each labored breath. Haley was overwhelmed with the familiar sense of helplessness. This feeling had been a constant companion her entire childhood. She couldn't believe that she would have to lose her mother in a similar way, when she had just so recently found her.

Haley's eyes traveled to the next bed, where Teal'c lay in a similar state of illness. Haley had spent quite a bit of time with Teal'c over the last few weeks, as they both were generally confined to the base. She had a hard time remembering how fearful of him she used to be. Now she only knew him as a quiet and loyal man who had a thing for Star Wars and told the best Jaffa jokes.

Haley wandered over to the last bed in the ward to find Daniel sleeping peacefully. His skin also seemed to radiate heat, but somehow he didn't seem as ill as Sam and Teal'c. Haley pulled up a stool in the dark corner next to Daniel's bed and crouched there, watching with hooded eyes the three people she had begun to think of as family.

"Okay, doctor, tell me what you've got."

Haley looked up at the sound of General O'Neill's voice to see him standing with Dr. Warner near the doorway. "Well, sir, initial bloodwork shows the presence of some sort of microscopic organism in their blood stream. In Colonel Carter and Teal'c the organisms seem to be attacking their major organs."

"And Daniel?"

"He has the organisms present in his blood, but in much lower quantities. They also don't seem to be having the same effect on him. Frankly, I don't see any reason for him to even be unconscious."

"Any ideas why Daniel is reacting so differently?"

"At this point, sir, we have very little to go on. I have tried using anti-viral agents that seem to be having some effect. I can't get rid of the organisms, but I at least seem to have been able to slow down their growth."

"Alright, what's the bottom line here?"

"Well, sir, if we can't find a way to eradicate the organisms, Teal'c and Colonel Carter are facing imminent organ failure. They are both already having some trouble with their breathing and it will only get worse."

General O'Neill rubbed his hands over his face. "Timeframe?" he asked resignedly.

"It's hard to say, but if I had to guess, they probably have a couple of days, four at the most."

"Alright, Doctor. Keep working on it and let me know if anything changes."

Dr. Warner nodded and retreated back into his office. Haley watched from her corner as the General slowly approached Sam's bed. He took her hand in his and said something so softly that Haley couldn't quite hear it. He reached out his other hand as if to touch her face, but stopped just short of actual contact with her skin.

Haley held her breath as she watched him in this unguarded moment, surprised by his intensity and tenderness. The spell was roughly broken in the next instant by the appearance of a nurse. The General stepped back quickly from the bed as if he was doing something he shouldn't. He watched the nurse change Sam's IV bag for a moment before turning on his heel and charging back out of the infirmary, tenderness replaced by determination.

Haley stared after his retreating back for a long time, absently listening to the chorus of beeps that documented SG-1's continued struggle for life. She reached out once to touch Daniel's skin as if to reassure herself that he really did live, despite his utter stillness. Unwillingly she began to think of Jonathan and Katherine and all the other children. How many people was she destined to helplessly watch die?

"No!" Haley didn't realize she had spoken aloud until one of the nurses regarded her with surprise, Haley's hiding spot blown. Haley ignored the nurse and leaned over Daniel's bed. "Not this time, Daniel. I promise. I won't let it happen again." With one last glance at her mother and her team, Haley left the infirmary, determined to do anything it took to get them back.

* * *

Jack listened impatiently to the pompous voice of Dr. Malek as he tried to bore Jack to death with useless information. They had been looking at the images from Daniel's camera for the last hour. All they had revealed so far was a large, mostly overgrown, stone monument. At the center of the ruin was a hand shaped imprint with some writing around it. SGC's finest had been working on analyzing the images ever since SG-1 returned. Dr. Malek, the official senior member of the anthropology and archeology department, was currently briefing Jack on the 'progress' they had made so far. "We're fairly certain that it's an obscure dialect of Goa'uld, but we're having a bit of a hard time with the translation"

"That's because it isn't Goa'uld."

Jack and the five linguists currently hovering around him all looked up to see Haley standing at the far end of the table staring thoughtfully at a photograph.

Dr. Malek was the first to recover from the unexpected interruption. "Excuse me?"

"You're having trouble with the translation because this," she shook the photograph for emphasis, "isn't Goa'uld."

Dr. Malek looked to be quite taken aback to be so brusquely contradicted by what looked to him to be nothing more than a random young woman who might have wandered in from the street. He turned to General O'Neill, probably hoping for some support. "General, please. Do we really have to listen to this?"

Haley ignored the linguist and continued reiterating her claim. "Look, you've tried translating it assuming it's Goa'uld and what have you gotten?" She glanced down at a pad of paper on the table. "_Beware the flaming book-cat_?"

"That's still a rough translation," said one of the other linguists sheepishly.

Haley's only response was to snort in a very unladylike manner and to continue to dig determinedly through the piles of photographs.

Dr. Malek, apparently, had had enough, however. He marched up to Haley and grabbed the photograph from her hand. "Look, I don't know who you think you are, but we are the foremost experts on ancient languages. We have more PhDs between us that we have people! Now why don't you scuttle back to wherever you came from and leave this work to the professionals?"

Jack winced as each word left Dr. Malek's lips, but didn't step in to interfere, mainly because Haley wasn't supposed to be here and deserved what she got for sticking her nose in where it didn't belong, but also because he secretly wanted to see what she was going to do. Jack didn't have long to wait, Haley's eyes blazed dangerously and Jack was worried for a moment that he might have to save the poor doctor. After all, Jack knew what Haley was capable of. Luckily for the poor doctor, Haley seemed to content herself with simply yelling bloody murder rather than beating anyone.

"With all due respect, _Doctor_," she said, practically snarling his title like a swearword, "the members of SG-1 are currently in the infirmary dying, in case you have all forgotten! We don't have time to argue about who has more advanced degrees!" She grabbed the photograph from his hands again and roughly jabbed a finger at it. "This. Is. Not. Goa'uld."

Before the outraged Dr. Malek could recover enough to say anything, one of the quieter linguists stepped up to Haley and asked in a low, slightly frightened voice, "Do you know what it says?" Dr. Malek glared at the younger man, but he ignored him and looked earnestly at Haley.

Haley looked from the photograph to the clearly curious linguists and took a deep breath. She stared at it for a long moment as if accessing long suppressed information, which, Jack reflected, she could very well be doing. Jack felt the same vague unease he always did when Haley did something odd or unexpected. Just as the linguists were beginning to shift impatiently, Haley read out the line in a lilting and, to Jack, completely incomprehensible language. "Roughly translated," Haley said eventually, "it says 'Legacy of the Doomed Ones.'"

Dr. Malek scoffed, but the other linguists began twittering excitedly to each other. "Please," he drawled in a scathing voice, "she just made that up."

Haley tore her attention from the images to glare at Dr. Malek. "I may not have an advanced degree from one of your distinguished Earth institutions, but I have access to more"

"Haley!" Jack abruptly cut her off before she could reveal more than she was supposed to. Her 'abilities' had been kept on a need to know basis, and Dr. Malek certainly didn't need to know. "Might I have a word in my office?"

"I need to go to that planet," Haley demanded without preamble as she followed him into his office.

"Never going to happen." Jack didn't even take a moment to consider her 'request,' if you could even call it that. He just sighed, wondering where all of Haley's aggression and stubbornness came from. Carter had always been levelheaded and compliant, well...relatively.

"General-"

"No. What in the world makes you think I am going to let anyone go to a planet that has rendered three people unconscious?"

"The other two SG teams are perfectly fine, I think we can assume that another team may be capable of traveling there without getting infected."

"Not worth the risk."

"General! Those ruins represent our only chance for figuring this all out! There has to be more writing or something there that can give us a clue as to what is happening to SG-1! You know the doctors aren't getting anywhere with the organisms."

Jack blinked at Haley for a few moments. "How the hell do you even know any of this! Hasn't anyone on this base ever heard of the term 'classified'? Or have you started stealing files from people's desks?"

"I lurk."

Jack just stared at Haley, wondering how that answered his question. Eventually she continued with a sigh. "I'm pretty good at being invisible, something I picked up from when I was with the Goa'uld. I overhear things. A lot."

Jack shook his head, making a mental note to put a bell around Haley's neck so they could always know where she was. "Fine. Whatever. But you are still not going to that planet."

"Somebody has to go and with Daniel in a coma, exactly how many experts in xeno-linguistics do you have?"

"Quite a few, actually," Jack said tartly, gesturing towards the briefing room.

Haley rolled her eyes. "General, they don't have a clue and if Daniel were here, he would be the first person to agree with me."

"Well, Daniel isn't here," Jack snapped, "so this will have to be my call."

"I'm the only one who can read this language and you know it. Somebody in my gene pool obviously knew that language or I couldn't have read it! Those linguists could spend an eternity trying to figure it out; we don't have that much time!" She closed her eyes and dropped her head in a moment of exasperation. "Look, General, I know I'm not your favorite person and that you still don't trust me at all for some reason, but you need me."

"Haley this has nothing to do with"

An arch glance from Haley stopped Jack mid-sentence. Okay, Jack admitted silently to himself, so he didn't trust her, wasn't that reason enough to not let her go traipsing around the universe?

"Please, General. I know I can help. Just give me a chance."

There was a quiet desperation in her voice that made Jack look closer at Haley for a moment. He could see now, what all this bluster and anger was really about. Haley wasn't just pestering the linguists out of some perverse pleasure; she was actually scared. Really scared, judging by the tautness of her face and the slight panic in her eyes that Jack hadn't let himself notice before. Jack had consciously not been paying much attention to Haley and her relationship with SG-1, but he was surprised to see that somehow Haley had become as completely devoted to them as they were to her. 'When had that happened?' Jack asked himself.

Suddenly, looking at Haley, Jack had a hard time seeing her as an unknown threat or as a reminder of events and people he would rather forget. Now all he saw was a woman scared to death for her family and desperately needing to help. Unwillingly, Jack remembered how many people Haley had already watched slowly deteriorate, knowing there was nothing she could do about it. But this time, Haley seemed to think that she could. And maybe she was right.

"They're going to be okay, Haley."

Haley seemed momentarily startled by the gentleness of Jack's voice. She looked away from him and stiffly asked, "How can you know that?"

"Because they have to be."

Haley regarded Jack for a moment and then nodded. "I can figure this out, I just need to see the rest of the ruins. Trust me." Her voice was now calm and even and Jack couldn't help but think of Carter. Haley's hauntingly familiar blue eyes watched him with the same calm determination and certainty that Carter's did the countless times she had saved them all against insurmountable odds.

Jack eventually nodded, sure that he was going to regret trusting her later, but knowing that he owed it to SG-1 to give her a chance. After all, she seemed to be their only hope, as much as he didn't want to admit it.

* * *

Less than an hour later, Haley had been properly equipped after passing an under two minute break down and reassembly of her side arm. She had rolled her eyes at the request and done it in one minute flat. Jack had just nodded once, secretly wishing he didn't think that it was irresponsible to send someone off-world without at least some form of protection. Haley looked rather comfortable in a pair of fatigues and Jack hoped that this little trip wasn't going to give her ideas about joining an SG team. Carter would surely kill him if it did.

SG-4 was also ready and equipped, waiting in the gate room to accompany Jack and Haley to the planet. There was just one obstacle left in the form of a clearly unhappy Sergeant who was currently standing stubbornly next to the dialing computer with his arms crossed across his chest.

"Walter," Jack snapped. "It's not like I've never been off-world before! I'll be fine."

"Last time you ended up stranded on a planet with Colonel Carter and almost died, sir," Walter calmly reminded him.

Jack sighed. "No, the last time I went off-world was that treaty signing on P2X-595."

"You mean the trip were you inadvertently ended up married to the chieftain's daughter?"

Jack groaned. "That was Daniel's fault and besides, everything was resolved peacefully. I'll be fine."

Walter still didn't look convinced.

"Frankly, Walter, I think I'd be in more danger if I stayed behind."

Walter looked at him in askance.

"Do you have any idea what Carter would do to me if she found out I let her daughter travel to another planet without watching her six personally? She's already going to kill me when she wakes up for even letting Haley step through the gate. I'm not risking anymore astrophysicist wrath."

At hearing a distinct snicker behind his back, Jack turned to glare at Haley. "Sure you want to push my buttons right now, Haley?"

Haley instantly sobered. "Sorry, General O'Neill."

"Oh, for cryin' out loud! Call me Jack, will ya? One Carter calling me General and sir all the time is more than enough."

Walter and Haley tried, unsuccessfully, to share a covert smile that Jack easily picked up on. Glaring at both of them for good measure, Jack led Haley down to the gate room, knowing he would just be glad to hear Carter say anything again, even if it was only 'sir.'

* * *

The trip to the planet as uneventful as Jack predicted. Jack ordered SG-4 to hold position and secure the gate while he marched off with Haley to the west. The giant stone monument seemed even bigger in person that it had in the photos. There was an ancient stillness to the place. It was obviously long abandoned, the stone walls partially crumbling in places and the rest of it grown over with thick green vines. Another couple of decades and this place might have disappeared back into the forest completely.

Haley immediately set out for the one wall free of vines that boasted the handprint and writing only to be stopped by Jack's voice. "Don't touch anything," he reminded her.

Haley just nodded and carefully approached the wall. The next thing Jack knew, she was running her hands along a vine-covered wall to the left of the handprint. "Haley! What did I just say!"

She ignored his outburst and began pulling at the vines. "I think I've found more writing. Help me clear this off."

After twenty minutes of tugging the resilient plants off of the wall, they had revealed a six by six foot area of tiny, compressed writing. "There has got to be something here that can help," Haley said brightly.

Jack hoped she was right. "Get started on a translation. I'm gonna check the perimeter again."

Haley waved distractedly at him over her shoulder, her nose already pressed against the wall as she scribbled notes on a thick pad of paper.

They had been on the planet for four hours when the sun began to set, casting the wall in deep shadows. Jack wandered over to see how Haley was progressing.

"What have you got?"

Haley glanced up at Jack and sat back on her heels. She gestured at the wall and said, "This is basically a history of the people who lived here. They called themselves the Reynaul and apparently, they used to be ruled by a 'great demon' that used them as slaves. It speaks of a 'material of the gods' that was obtained as offerings."

"Goa'uld," surmised Jack.

Haley nodded. "One day there was no more material to be found and the demon abandoned the Reynaul. This 'liberation,' as it is called in the text, was followed by a millennium of prosperity and peace during which the Reynaul 'mastered the wonders of the earth and sky.' There is even reference to travel through the 'Holy Ring,' that I can only assume is the Stargate. Eventually, the Reynaul seem to have run amuck of one system lord or another because it speaks of great attacks from the heavens during which the demons tried to reclaim the planet." Haley paused and stretched her back. "That's all I've gotten so far."

"So basically the Reynaul probably became too advanced and the Goa'uld wiped them out."

"Seems like it."

"Charming." Jack looked over the wall. "Anything here to help SG-1?"

"Not yet. Maybe in the second half."

"It's getting dark," Jack observed casually, taking a moment to watch the colors that streaked across the horizon. Haley didn't respond, but just went back to scribbling notes on a yellow pad of paper and squinting at the wall. Jack sighed and decided to see about an evening meal. He would let Haley work a little longer.

Haley eventually had to use a flashlight to illuminate the surface of the wall. She leaned against the wall for a moment as she absently rubbed at her temples.

"Headache?" Jack asked, startling Haley.

She shrugged and turned back to the wall. "It's not too bad."

"You've been at it for hours. It's time for a break."

"Is that an order, Jack?" she asked caustically.

"Does it have to be?" he shot back.

Haley sighed and followed Jack back to the area he had set up their camp. Jack almost laughed at the surly pout on Haley's face. Jack had years of field experience dealing with overzealous scientists and archeologists who didn't know when to quit thanks to Carter and Daniel. Thinking of his former teammates wiped the smile from Jack's face. He took a moment to stare at the giant monolith and wonder if it held any secrets that could help his friends.

Haley sat down across the fire from Jack and began to mindlessly shovel food into her mouth. She kept surreptitiously glancing back at the wall, still clearly trying to work out the puzzle.

Jack, having had more than his fair share of experience with workaholics, knew that if he hoped to get Haley to take any sort of rest he would have to distract her. With Daniel, Jack would just say something annoying to get Daniel's indignation up and with Carter, he would just tell a lame joke. He wasn't sure if either would work with Haley.

In the end, he didn't have to come up with anything, because Haley abruptly turned to him and said, "How do you do it?"

"Excuse me?"

"How can you live like this? Constantly just one step ahead of disaster? Just one fool's wish away from loosing your friends and family on some far off planet?"

"It's part of the job, Haley. We have all accepted that."

"I don't remember being given a choice." It should have sounded petulant, but Jack knew the truth behind her words. Wives, husbands, children, they were all collateral damage from the choices made by the people at the SGC. Personally, Jack had really only begun to understand the truth of this when he became one of the people left behind. He had a lot more sympathy for Sara and everything he put her through these days.

"Maybe not," Jack admitted, "but you and others like you are what we fight for. It's worth it."

They were silent for a while as they both ate and stared at the flames. Jack was just building up a lecture to convince Haley to lay down for a while when she suddenly spoke up again, her eyes considering him carefully.

"What exactly is it between you two?"

"What?" Jack asked distractedly, truly having no idea what she was talking about, but not liking the shrewd look on her face.

"You and Sam."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jack said, not quite meeting Haley's eyes. "She, Teal'c and Daniel were my team for seven years. We're like a family. We all care a great deal for each other."

"Uh-huh," Haley said disbelievingly.

"Haley, look…" Jack started only to roughly break off. Haley was staring at Jack, her eyes slightly out of focus. Jack got the feeling that she wasn't really looking at him, as if she was seeing something else entirely. Frankly, it was wigging Jack out. "Haley?"

She jumped slightly and shook her head as if waking herself from a daydream. She smiled slightly at Jack. "Sorry, I guess I'm more tired than I thought." She rubbed a hand over her tired face. "Maybe I'll just lay down for a bit."

Jack nodded but didn't say anything as he watched her stretch out on the other side of the fire. What exactly, he wondered, had that all been about?

* * *

Haley didn't manage to get more than an hour or two of fitful sleep before she was driven to the wall again by a nagging need to find the answers. Jack eyed her as she got up, looking like he might protest.

"Would you hold the flashlight for me?"

Jack sighed, but got up and silently followed her to the wall.

Dawn had just begun to streak the sky when Haley finally got to the last passage: "May those of pure-blood carry on the fight for us and may our gift help them with the struggle. One day the demons will fall, but the memory of the Reynaul will persist. This is our final wish."

Suddenly, everything fell into place in Haley's head. "Oh my god."

"Haley?"

Haley stared blindly at Jack for a moment before bolting to her feet and grabbing her pack. "We have to go back. Now." She started back towards the Stargate, not even bothering to see if Jack was following her. She could hear him calling after her, but she just kept moving, her mind focused on what she had learned. She just hoped she wasn't too late.

Jack had caught up to her by the time she was halfway back to the gate, but Haley was too lost in her thoughts to give him much attention. The pages and pages of information she had just translated were whirling around in her head, such that she barely noticed the trip back through the Stargate or even what she had said to Jack. The next thing she knew, she was standing in the infirmary with an incredulous Dr. Warner staring back at her.

"You have to stop treating Daniel."

Everyone was staring at her like she was insane. She turned pleading eyes towards Jack, hoping that he would trust her.

"Jack, please, time is something we don't have a lot of."

Jack stared at her for a moment and then nodded at the doctor. "Do it."

Haley took a deep breath and collapsed into a chair next to Daniel's bed. She watched the nurses pull Daniel's IVs.

"Haley, I need you to explain this to me."

"It's not a disease, I think it's a sort of organic program." She turned to Dr. Warner. "Did you take a CAT scan of Daniel's brain?"

Dr. Warner nodded, still looking rather mystified.

"Did you find a high concentration of the organisms in the parts of his brain dedicated to memory?"

"How did you know?"

"I think the organisms were engineered by the Reynaul to upload information into the mind of a 'pure-blood' human. They knew they were doomed, so they came up with a way to ensure that their advances against the Goa'uld would not be forgotten."

"But Carter and Teal'c"

"I know, I couldn't understand it at first either. I kept thinking about the term 'pure-blood.' I didn't understand what that meant and then it hit me. They were mortal enemies of the Goa'uld, so they must have made it so that the upload wouldn't work for Goa'uld or Jaffa. I bet that the organisms are meant to interact dangerously with naquadah."

"How does this help them?"

"It doesn't."

Haley was getting really tired of everyone staring at her like she was crazy. She took a deep breath and plowed on. "The only thing I could think of is that if Daniel can successfully receive the information the organism is meant to impart, then maybe he can tell us how to help Sam and Teal'c. I know it's a long shot, but I think it's our only chance. We have to let this thing run its course in Daniel."

"And if you're wrong?" asked Dr. Warner.

'Then he dies and it will be my fault,' thought Haley morosely. She didn't voice this fear; rather she just looked down at Daniel, took his hand and prayed that she wasn't wrong.

Haley didn't leave Daniel's side the whole night, and Jack didn't even try to make her. He just brought her food occasionally and sat with her when he could. Daniel's fever spiked at about three in the morning and Dr. Warner begged to administer something to lower his temperature. Haley adamantly refused, her face pale and drawn. "We have to wait it out," she mumbled to herself. Dr. Warner just shook his head and put an official protest on file.

Near five in the morning, Daniel began mumbling incoherently. The sound brought Jack's head up from the side of Carter's bed where he had dozed off. Haley was leaning over Daniel, her ear close to his mouth. She looked up a Jack with intense, wide eyes that looked suspiciously wet. "It's Reynaul, Jack. He's speaking Reynaul."

They stared at each other, sharing a moment of relief and triumph. They had done it. Haley smiled at Jack and he could feel an answering smile on his own face. "Nice job, Haley," he said hoarsely, "nice job." Now they just had to hope that Daniel had the answers they needed.

* * *

Daniel struggled to wake from a strange dream about Goa'uld and burning deserts. His whole body felt like it had been run through a paper shredder. With a great deal of effort, he managed to crack one eye open. There was someone sitting by the side of his bed and he squinted myopically at the shape. He tried to form words, but his mouth stubbornly refused to cooperate. He must have made some sound, however, because the blurry form by his bed jerked and leaned closer. Now he could see Haley's face, her eyes bloodshot and face pale.

"Daniel?" her voice asked softly, hopefully.

Daniel continued to open and close his mouth and soon another set of hands was offering him water. He drank greedily, only realizing his thirst as the water hit his throat. The water was pulled away sooner than Daniel would have liked. He glanced around the room to see Jack standing by the foot of his bed, looking nearly as bad as Haley. He was watching Daniel intently and seemed to be holding his breath. A hand insistently tugging at his brought Daniel's attention back to Haley. He stared at her for long moments before croaking out, "Haley…why are you wearing BDUs?"

There was a long pause before Haley let out a relieved laugh that sounded suspiciously like a strangled sob. She collapsed back on a chair behind her, head dropped into her hands.

"Daniel." Jack walked up on the other side of the bed and offered him his glasses. "I know you don't feel great, but we really need to talk to you about what's happened. What's the last thing you remember?"

"Ummm…" Daniel closed his eyes and tried to wade through the heavy fog in his brain. "PS6-976. We went to PS6-976."

"Yes. What happened when you got there?"

Daniel was drawing a blank. He rubbed a hand against the pounding at his temples and shook his head. "I'm sorry…it's really fuzzy in here right now."

"Headache?" came another voice, one Daniel recognized as belonging to Dr. Warner.

"Yeah."

"I assume I am allowed to give him something for the pain?"

Daniel's eyes snapped up to Dr. Warner at his accusatory tone. Dr. Warner was staring rather maliciously at Haley, who didn't even look up. She just nodded her head and continued staring at the floor.

"What's going on?" inquired Daniel.

Jack shook his head after sending what looked like a concerned glance in Haley's direction. "Later. First, could you look at this and see if it jogs your memory?"

Daniel reached out a hand for a photograph of a familiar site. "Yes. I remember this now." Daniel struggled to sit up excitedly, headache temporarily forgotten. "There was a temple or monument or something that had writing on it that I couldn't decipher. It looked like Goa'uld, but it wasn't. Like some culture had adopted the Goa'uld writing system to their own unique spoken language."

"Yeah, that's what Haley thought, too. What happened next?"

Daniel scrunched up his face, trying to remember. "I was trying to read the writing and I reached out and touched the handprint. There was a clicking sound and then this stream of smoke or something poured out." Now Daniel did sit straight up in bed, even as the world began to sway around him. "Sam and Teal'c! It knocked them unconscious!" There were hands trying to steady Daniel and as the world began to right itself, he could see Sam and Teal'c sitting in the next beds. "What's wrong with them?"

"We were hoping you could tell us."

Daniel just stared in shock at Jack. "What? I have no idea!"

"You were all infected with a disease that seems to have something against naquadah."

Daniel didn't need to be told that they weren't doing well. Sam's face was sallow and she was hooked up to so many machines that she almost didn't look human anymore. Even Teal'c looked sicker than Daniel could ever remember seeing him. "And you thought I could tell you why?"

"It was just a theory," Jack said resignedly. "At least you are going to be okay, Danny." Jack turned to Dr. Warner. "He is, right?"

Dr. Warner nodded and held up a medical chart. "There is no evidence of the organisms in his blood anymore, just a strange chemical that seems to be a byproduct of the dying organisms. I think he is going to be fine."

"Good," Jack said before sighing and looking over at Haley. "Well, it was worth a shot."

Haley looked up with alarm. "What, that's it? You're giving up?"

"Daniel doesn't remember anything, Haley!"

"Maybe not consciously. We don't really know how this is meant to work." She turned to Daniel suddenly and said, "_Tell me that you understand me_."

"_Of course I understand you_," Daniel said without thinking. It was only after Daniel noticed Jack's look of complete surprise that he realized he hadn't spoken in English. He looked up at Haley, who had a smug expression on her face. "What the hell was that?"

"That," Haley replied with a broad grin, "was Reynaul."

"Reynaul?" Daniel asked incredulously. "Should that mean something to me?"

Jack looked nearly as confused as Daniel felt. "Haley, I don't get it. He can speak the language, but he doesn't really remember anything?"

Haley shrugged. "Maybe it's a sort of latent knowledge. He didn't actually get memories or knowledge per se, but rather intuitive understanding." She considered Daniel for a moment. "I don't really know what it's done, but the fact that he can understand the language must mean that it did something to him. Maybe we just need to stimulate that part of his brain."

"And how exactly do we do that?"

Haley pointed at a photograph and asked Daniel, "_Do you know what this is_?"

Daniel stared at the photograph. "_Legacy of the Doomed Ones_," he read out.

Haley nodded at him. "_They were destroyed by the Goa'uld_."

Something was forming in the back of Daniel's brain, something important that he couldn't quite get a grasp on. "_They built this to be remembered_," he said slowly.

Haley nodded again. "_May those of pure-blood carry on the fight for us and may our gift help them with the struggle. One day the demons will fall, but the memory of the Reynaul will persist. This is our final wish_," she quoted.

"Yes! That's it!" Daniel cried, reverting back to English as the knowledge just outside of his reach solidified. "They built that place as their final gift to the fight against the Goa'uld."

"And this gift is what, the ability to speak Reynaul and a virus that kills naquadah-laced beings?" asked Jack, clearly relieved that the conversation had turned back to a language that he understood, but impatient to figure out what was happening to Teal'c and Sam.

Daniel was shaking his head. "No, the disease, the fever, was just a test to see if I was 'pure-blooded.' There is something else there, I just know it."

"Let me guess," said Jack resignedly, "you want to go back to that planet."

"It may be Teal'c and Sam's only hope."

Jack nodded and Daniel swung his legs over the side of the bed, nearly tumbling to the floor in the process. "Damn it, Daniel! You can barely stand!"

"It doesn't matter, Jack. We don't have a lot of time. And something tells me I'm the only one who can figure this out."

"It's a three mile hike to the site, Daniel," Jack reminded him.

Daniel just smiled and made a rough grab for the billowing back of his hospital gown. "I'm sure you'll figure something out, Jack." He looked around the room. Haley was intently staring at a light fixture in the ceiling. "Now, could I get some clothes or something?" Daniel tried to ignore the chuckle from Jack as one of the nurses offered him some help.

* * *

Jack certainly didn't disappoint. When Daniel was wheeled (against his will) into the gate room an hour later, Jack had managed to procure a four-wheeler that looked to be the perfect size to fit through the gate. Jack was standing over it with Siler, both of them looking approvingly at the newest acquisition of the SGC. "We should have gotten one of these years ago," Jack was saying to Siler, who was adamantly agreeing. Daniel imagined that Jack must have finally remembered that as The Man he could do almost anything, including buying cool new gizmos. And of course, claiming the right to partake in the inaugural test run.

Jack finally noticed Daniel as he rather ungraciously pushed himself out of the wheelchair, determined that he could at least walk up the ramp under his own steam. "Space-monkey! Ready to go for a ride?"

Daniel nodded and slowly made his way to stand by SG-3, who was also geared up and ready to watch the gate for them on the other side. He was grateful that none of the soldiers tried to help him.

Jack had just gestured for Walter to dial up the gate when the blast doors pulled back to reveal Haley charging into the gate room. Daniel was pretty sure he heard Jack take a deep breath as if preparing himself for a fight.

"You weren't really going to try and leave without me, were you?"

"You are not coming this time, Haley." Jack was using his don't-mess-with-me-I'm-a-General voice, but Daniel noted that it really didn't seem to have much of an effect on Haley.

"I though we already went over this, Jack." So it's Jack now, is it? Daniel noted as he wryly watched the interaction. They certainly seemed a lot closer than when Daniel last saw them.

"For cryin' out loud, Haley! Can't you just follow my order just this once?"

Haley just crossed her arms and looked mutinous. "What if you need my help with translations?"

"Haley! Think about it for one minute. Last time Daniel went poking around at this place, he released some disease that _kills_ people with naquadah in their blood." Jack looked around the gate room. "And how many people here have naquadah in their blood?"

Haley blushed, but didn't back down.

Jack put a hand on Haley's arm, his voice softer. "I'm not risking you, Haley. Please, just stay here."

After a long moment, Haley finally nodded. "Bring back a cure," she said quietly.

"We will," Jack said before giving her arm a final squeeze and gesturing for SG-3 to head on out through the gate.

"You two seem to have worked out your differences," observed Daniel as he started gingerly up the ramp.

"Yeah, well, she really helped us out, figuring out the writing and everything. If it wasn't for her, I would have been left relying on Dr. Malek."

Daniel snorted. "He's clueless."

Jack laughed, "That's exactly what Haley said you would say."

* * *

Soon they were on the other side, tearing through the open countryside towards the ruins on the shiny new 4-wheeler. Daniel had to admit that this really was much better than hiking. As they pulled up in front of the monument, Jack made some crack about valet parking before pulling out two gas masks. He gestured for Daniel to take one. Daniel thought to protest, but one look at Jack's face made him reconsider.

"I don't really have a burning desire to learn to speak Reynaul, if it's all the same to you Daniel."

Daniel nodded, but somehow didn't think they would need to worry about it. He approached the monument slowly, noting the newly cleared wall covered in writing. Before he could become diverted by the text, Jack cleared his throat and reminded him gently that they were on a tight schedule.

"Right," Daniel said distractedly. He knew that he was here to do something important, but his head was beginning to feel funny. 'Sam and Teal'c,' he quietly reminded himself, 'you have to save Sam and Teal'c.' At this thought, Daniel was drawn to the handprint that gleamed on the front of the structure. He could hear Jack saying something to him in the background, but his voice was fuzzy and distant. All Daniel could see was the handprint that he just knew he was supposed to touch. He stretched out one hand and pressed it against the surface of the wall. There was a sharp prick to his palm and he cried out as he snatched his hand back away.

Daniel heard a familiar click and flinched, waiting for them to be immersed in the deadly mist. It never came, though. Instead, the central wall began to slowly retract, leaving a gaping hole in the front of the monument.

Sharing a glance with Jack, they both pulled out flashlights and slowly advanced into the newly revealed room. Inside was a cavernous space that seemed to swallow the light from their flashlights. The floor was smooth and regular, which was kind of a surprise considering the rugged appearance of the exterior. Rather than the musty smell of a long enclosed space that Daniel was expecting, the place had a sharp antiseptic scent.

A few steps in, Daniel bumped against a low table. Running his hand gingerly over the edge, Daniel registered the cool, rigid feel of metal under his fingertips. There was a nagging sense of familiarity in the back of Daniel's brain that was fairly disconcerting.

He could distantly hear Jack muttering about finding the lights. Without thinking, Daniel walked into the far back corner of the room, where he found a smooth panel projecting from the wall. Shining his light on the surface, he stared at the regular writing for a moment before pressing a sequence of three glyphs. The room suddenly flooded with light and the hum of systems turning on.

Jack spun around and stared at Daniel with obvious surprise. Daniel just shook his head and raised his hands. "Now I know how you must have felt, Jack, doing things when you had no idea why."

"What is this place?" Jack asked incredulously.

The two men looked around the room that had just been revealed. The ceiling and walls seemed to be made of rock, while the floor and furniture, if you could call it that, gleamed white and chrome. A soft light fell over the entire facility, though Daniel couldn't quite divine the source. There were low metal tables every ten feet, some holding bizarre looking contraptions, other conspicuously empty. On the distant side from where Daniel was standing, there was a wide screen that now displayed a message.

"It's a lab," Daniel said, staring intently at the message on the wall. "This welcomes the 'chosen' and charges them with 'bearing the fruit of our labor.' This is it, Jack! There has to be something here that can help Sam and Teal'c!"

Daniel rushed towards the screen, hoping to find an interface of some sort, but there was nothing. Where was a keyboard when you needed one? "We need to run a search or something, to find any notes on the organisms."

"And how do we do that?"

"I have no idea."

Jack groaned. "You'd think if they were so eager for someone to find this place that they'd make it easier to use!"

Daniel ignored Jack and continued to glance frantically around the room. "I guess a big sign saying 'Secret Cure Here' would be too much to ask for," Daniel grumbled. He skimmed the writing visible on the screen again, hoping he had missed something. "Search, search, search," he mumbled under his breath. "_Search_!"

Daniel almost fell over when the screen in front of him changed. There was now a single word with a blinking empty space next to it.

"What did you do, Daniel? What's that say?"

"It says 'search'. I think it's voice activated!" Daniel spun around and looked at Jack. "What should we search for?"

"You're asking me?"

"Right. Uhh…How about _'antidote'_."

The screen changed again, revealing a long list of items. "Too generic, I guess. It seems like they were working on a lot of antidotes."

"What about naquadah?" offered Jack.

"Yes, good! Naquadah!"

Nothing happened. Daniel stared blearily at the screen, his head seriously beginning to ache. Why hadn't that worked?

"Umm...I'm no linguist, but did the Reynaul use the word naquadah? Or something else? I remember Haley saying something about 'material of the gods'."

"Of course," Daniel almost kicked himself, but suddenly the right word was hovering on his tongue. "_Material of the gods_."

The screen flashed and off to the right, a silver canister appeared out of a long tube. Jack reached out and took the cylinder carefully, handling it like it was an explosive. "Is this it?" He carefully opened the canister to find a liquid substance inside a clear vial.

Daniel looked back at the screen to find a long entry on experiments and results for the 'mind-fire.' "This talks about 'dispersing the gift.' It has to be it."

"Let's find out." Jack wasted no time radioing SG-3 to guard the monument and all its gifts while Jack and Daniel hightailed it back to the SGC.

* * *

Dr. Warner handed Jack a thin folder. "I ran some preliminary studies on the serum with samples of Colonel Carter's blood. In each case, the organisms were eradicated. I would prefer to do some more long term studies, primarily to gauge the effects on human physiology, but…"

"But we don't have time for that," Jack finished for him.

"Pretty much. At this point, I am not sure they could get any worse. With your permission, sir, I will begin treatment immediately."

Jack nodded. "How long until we know if it's working?"

"It's hard to say, sir. We should notice decreased organism levels within a few hours of the first treatment."

Jack sat down by Haley and watched Dr. Warner prepare doses for Sam and Teal'c. "This is going to do it, Haley. I just know it."

"I hope you're right, Jack," Haley sighed. "Where's Daniel, anyway?"

"He was persuaded to lay down and rest for a couple hours."

"Persuaded?" Haley asked with a slight smile.

"I didn't threaten him, if that's what you're insinuating. I didn't have time. He was too busy fainting as we came back through the gate."

"Is he alright?"

"Yeah, nothing a little sleep and some food won't fix."

"Good," Haley said softly as she turned back to watch Dr. Warner adjusting Sam's IV. "One down, two to go."

Jack paced around the infirmary during the next hours, generally making a nuisance of himself. Another benefit of being a General, Jack thought wryly, there was no one who outranked him who could order him to leave or get rest. He did leave once, to help organize the long-term team that would be sent to PS6-976 to explore and catalog the Reynaul lab.

By the time he returned, Dr. Warner was ready to check the organism level in Sam and Teal'c.

"Significant drops in the numbers, General," Dr. Warner announced proudly. "A few more treatments and at least 8 hours of sedated rest and they will probably start to come around."

Haley looked like she was ready to faint from relief.

Jack patted her on the shoulder. "You did it, Haley."

She smiled brightly at Jack. "No, _we_ did it."

Jack couldn't even roll his eyes at the cliché; instead, he just smiled back at Haley. "They're going to be fine now, Haley. Why don't you lie down and rest." Jack gestured at an empty bed, probably realizing that trying to get her to leave would be an exercise in futility.

"Yes, sir," Haley said cheekily as she gave Jack a saucy little salute.

"Impudence," Jack groused affectionately.

Haley laughed softly and lay down on the bed, at last being able to rest.

* * *

Sam lay very still for long moments, her brain carefully trying to take stock. She could hear hushed voices and beeping. Crisp, sterile air filled her lungs. Infirmary. Again. She vaguely wondered what she had gotten herself into this time as she forced open her eyes. The light was low, but she could see Jack slumped in a chair by her bed. Sam smiled at the image, grateful that he was there as always when she woke in the infirmary. He looked exhausted, she noted.

"Sir." The word came out as more of a gasp, but it still had the desired effect. Jack jerked awake and stepped closer to the bed.

"Carter! Welcome back to the world of the living!"

"Thanks," Sam tried to say, but her raw throat didn't seem to want to cooperate.

Jack seemed to realize her dilemma and handed her some water.

"Thanks," Sam tried again, pleased to hear her voice come out a little stronger.

Sam looked curiously around the room to see Teal'c resting on one side and Haley curled up sleeping on the other. "What's happened?"

"Oh, you know. Alien viruses, Goa'uld evilness, SG-1 unconscious in the infirmary. Just another day at the SGC."

"I take it this was a close one," Sam said, taking in the deep weariness on Jack's face, just barely concealed by his false levity. He was obviously relived that she was awake and talking.

"No closer than usual," Jack shrugged.

Sam almost laughed at his poor attempt at being blasé. "That bad, huh?"

Jack didn't answer. He looked away for a moment and when he met Sam's eyes again she could see that it really had been that close. They had both built some pretty solid walls over the last few years; they only came down in moments like these, when a close call had been a little too close. They stared at each other for long moments, reading in each other the things they would like to say. Sam gingerly reached out a hand to touch his arm, needing the contact as much as he did. She could feel his muscles tense under her fingers before he stepped abruptly back from the bed.

With effort, Sam repressed a sigh and knocked back rebellious feelings. Jack shoved his hands in his pockets and his eyes were once again carefully shuttered.

"Yeah, well," Jack continued, picking up their earlier conversation as if nothing had happened, "that's what you get for letting Daniel touch things."

Sam smiled weakly. "If I remember correctly, sir, you didn't have any better luck with him yourself."

Jack laughed somewhat humorlessly and gestured towards the door. "Well, paperwork calls. I'll just let you rest…" his voice trailed off and with one more glance at Sam he retreated from the infirmary.

Once he was gone, Sam let out a heavy sigh and rolled onto her side, only to find Haley watching her carefully from the next bed, her expression unreadable.

* * *

A few days of enforced rest later, Daniel walked into his lab to find Haley there, fiddling with an ancient funeral figurine. "Haley."

She looked up and smiled briefly at him, carefully putting down the artifact.

"We just finished talking to the Tok'ra about the Reynaul. Apparently, one man managed to escape with a small group of children through the Stargate. Granted this was hundreds of years ago, but supposedly, some of the children grew up to be hosts for the Tok'ra. It explains how you recognized the language."

"That's interesting," Haley said distractedly. "Did the Tok'ra think any of the Reynaul technology would be helpful?"

Daniel shrugged. "Well, there certainly was no silver bullet or the Reynaul would have been able to defeat the Goa'uld themselves. But there are a few things in there that look promising, especially if we can modify them with Earth and Tok'ra technology."

Haley nodded and picked up another artifact. "How's your head?"

"Okay, I guess. It's a little disconcerting to know things that I shouldn't."

"Tell me about it," Haley said dryly.

Daniel smiled. "Yeah, I guess you would know all about that." He began shifting through his overflowing inbox.

"Did you finish reading all the reports?"

Daniel looked up to find Haley watching him intently, her eyes darting to the folders in his hands. "Yeah," Daniel said, a little confused by Haley's tone.

"Dr. Warner's?"

Daniel nodded, taking in Haley's pale face and the way her fingers mindlessly played with an amulet as if to let off nervous energy.

"I could have killed you."

"What?"

"If I had been wrong…you could have died and it would have been my fault."

Daniel was taken aback by the guilt he saw in Haley's face. He had read Dr. Warner's report, including all of the notes protesting the cessation of treatment. But he also read at the end, where Dr. Warner admitted that Haley had been right, and that she had undoubtedly saved all of SG-1. Haley must know that, too.

The silence must have stretched a bit too long, because Haley put down the artifact and whispered, "I'm sorry, Daniel," before heading for the door.

Daniel grabbed her arm as she passed. "Haley-"

Daniel was interrupted by the timely arrival of Jack. "Hey campers! What do you say we get out of here?"

Daniel immediately dropped Haley's arm.

Haley looked up at Jack, confusion on her face. "Out?" she asked somewhat stupidly.

"Yeah, Haley, out. As in topside, out of the Mountain," Jack said with a wide grin.

"But, I'm not allowed"

"Yes you are. I'm the General and I say you can. Carter and Teal'c have been given the all clear and we're going to barbeque! It's a great American pastime that you just can't pass up on."

Haley smiled at the boisterous General who was obviously very pleased to have his favorite team back on their feet. Who can say no to Jack when he was this happy? "Sure," she said, smiling cheekily as she followed Jack out of the office, "can I drive?"

Daniel heard Jack groan as the two disappeared down the hall. By the time he finished sorting his inbox and was ready to head out, Daniel still couldn't decide if he was relieved or disappointed that he had been interrupted by Jack.

* * *

Sam was elated to finally be out of the infirmary. Jack had invited them all over for a little back-on-our-feet party to celebrate. Sam had even heard whispers of cake. She had been a little surprised that Jack had insisted that Haley come along. Not that she wasn't grateful, Haley deserved to get out of the Mountain and experience new things. At this moment, however, the 'new thing' Haley was experiencing was Jack's GameBoy.

"Haley," Sam said teasingly, "that thing's going to rot your brain."

Haley smiled but didn't break eye contact with the game. "Is it my fault that I'm a natural genius when it comes to Tetris?"

Sam laughed and glanced out in the backyard to see Teal'c and Daniel standing by a heavily smoking barbeque. Sam really hoped that there actually was some cake around here, or they might starve.

Haley finally put down the GameBoy, though Sam couldn't be sure if it was because she lost or because she already passed the game. "Is that supposed to happen?" asked Haley as she nodded out towards the column of smoke currently flooding the deck.

Sam just laughed and was interrupted by the appearance of Jack from the kitchen, laden with drinks.

"Haley, want a drink?" Jack waved a Guinness in front of her face.

"Sir…" started Sam, clearly not pleased to have Jack offering her daughter a beer.

"What?" Jack asked innocently. "Haley's like, what, twenty-five or something? More than old enough to enjoy the finer things in life."

Sam rolled her eyes but gave up trying to convince either of them that Haley was really only a year or so old. She would have to get used to Jack trying to corrupt her daughter, especially since the two seemed to have bonded during their little adventure.

Haley smiled up at Jack and took the beer. "Thanks, Jack." She cautiously sniffed at the bottle and then took a swig. Her face quickly took on a greenish tint and she dashed from the couch to the kitchen.

Sam couldn't quite hold back a laugh and Jack glared at her. "Maybe you should have started with something a little lighter, sir."

Jack ignored Sam and followed Haley into the kitchen. "Okay, so we'll stick to soda for a while."

Sam chuckled softly, absently listening to Haley accuse Jack of trying to poison her. As Sam joined Daniel and Teal'c out on the deck, she couldn't help but think that Dorothy had got it right, there really was no place like home.


	7. Disclosure

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Disclosure  
Author: Annerb  
Warnings: adult themes, minor language  
Summary: No matter how hard you try to forget, some events have a way of resurfacing.   
Classifications: Series, S/J Angst, Drama  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: You've waited and waited, and it's finally time for some more S/J :) Hope it's worth the wait! Thanks for your patience! As always, thanks for the FB and special thanks to Triptnx and Montage!

Feedback: Yes, please! Got to see if I'm heading in a direction you all like:)

Part 7: Disclosure 

Sam suppressed a sigh and took another sip from her coffee mug. Glancing at the clock for the fifth time in as many minutes, she began to formulate drastic measures to remedy the intolerable situation. She had had enough; she could no longer live like this. Just as she was finally ready to set Operation Desperation into motion, she heard the soft thumping sound in the pipes that meant that the shower had, finally, been shut off. But what were the chances that there was any hot water left?

Finally being able to bring Haley home to live with her had sounded like a great idea in the beginning. But now, after three weeks of cold showers and endless clutter (Sam shuddered at the sight of a pair of socks on the living room floor), Sam was beginning to realize that having a roommate had some serious drawbacks. This was never how she imagined motherhood. But, then again, not many women found themselves mothers to a twenty-something daughter with the knowledge and personality traits of countless beings (though Haley obviously hadn't inherited the military practice of 3-minute showers).

Haley, for her part, had been excited and nervous to leave the Mountain that had been her home for long months now. She had quickly settled into her new life, however. She enrolled in a full load of courses at the local community college and had begun talking about the possibility of getting a license. Considering she had already driven halfway across the country once before, Sam found it hard to come up with excuses why she couldn't. Not that it didn't keep her from trying.

The subject of Sam's train of thought bounded into the kitchen a few minutes later, her wet hair wound up in a towel on her head. "Morning, Sam!" she said brightly.

Sam forced a smile and silently cataloged another roommate negative to her list; Haley was a morning person. How annoying was that? Sam grumbled something that was probably completely incomprehensible and headed towards the shower.

Haley said something back, in that bubbly, annoying, morning voice of hers, but Sam had already tuned her out and was calculating the chances that she might at least get a lukewarm shower.

Twenty minutes later, Sam's system had finally absorbed her morning cup of coffee and she was showered, dressed and ready to head out the door. She entered the kitchen to say goodbye to Haley, who was never as grating after Sam's first cup of coffee. Sam was assaulted by the heavenly smell of Belgian waffles, strawberries and frothy lattes. Haley was putting a plate down on the table for Sam. She looked up and beamed at Sam. "Feeling a bit more awake?"

Haley had a dash of flour on her nose and Sam couldn't help but smile. As she bit into strawberry smothered waffles, Sam decided that having a roommate was pretty great after all.

* * *

Sam and Haley had worked out a weekly lunch date so that Haley could still occasionally see the guys now that she was living off base. So basically, every Thursday that SG-1 wasn't off world, Haley would come on base to enjoy the culinary wonders of the commissary. Dr. Warner was also still keeping close tabs on Haley and her bizarre brain chemistry, so lunch with the team was a sort of 'thank you' for putting up with the continued poking and prodding. 

Haley took it all in stride, only occasionally biting the doctor's head off when he really began to annoy her with all his persistent questions. After all, lunch with her friends was more than reward enough to put up with some needles and a weekly interrogation. Haley was pretty proud of herself today; she had barely done more than roll her eyes at Dr. Warner.

Jack's voice broke through her thoughts. "Daniel, we're having lunch here, don't you think you could lay off of that for five minutes?"

Daniel looked up from his stack of papers to see a clearly irritated Jack and a bemused Teal'c and Sam. "Sorry guys, I am just having a hard time with some of these last few passages."

"Yes, well, you will never finish it if you die from starvation first. Plus, we have an honored guest with us today." Jack gestured at Haley, who blushed at being referred to in such a way.

"Sorry, Haley. Didn't mean to ignore you."

She waved away his apology and leaned over the paper he was concentrating on. "Don't worry about it. It seems like an engrossing puzzle."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Great, another geek, just what this place needs."

Haley poked playfully at Jack and continued to look over the paper. The others plowed back into their food, all absently listening to Jack ramble about the latest episode of the Simpsons and his convoluted theory about the connection between Maggie Simpson and Thor.

"Overcome great travail and shutter chaos."

Everyone turned and stared at Haley. She was pointing to a line on Daniel's paper.

"What did you say, Haley?" Daniel looked at her with surprise.

She pointed again, "That says to 'overcome great travail and shutter chaos.'"

He squinted down at the paper for a long while. "I think you're right…" Haley smiled at him and got up to get a second desert, not noticing the looks of concern on everyone else's faces. Sam finally broke the silence.

"Daniel, is that Goa'uld?" she asked hopefully.

Daniel shook his head, still in awe of what Haley had so easily done. "Ancient."

At that one word, Sam went deathly pale.

"Wait a minute," broke in Jack. "How can she know Ancient?" Daniel looked at Sam, who was now staring at her napkin in horror.

"She can't," said Daniel slowly, still gazing at Sam, "not unless she has gene that contains the Ancient knowledge."

They all internally translated that into: not unless her _father_ had access to Ancient knowledge, knowing that Sam didn't carry the Ancient gene. They were all speculating as to the probability that Pete might carry the Ancient gene. It was a very remote possibility. Silence reigned at the table, the meaning of this new development beginning to sink in. There was, after all, one known carrier at this very table. Teal'c and Daniel eventually turned to look at Jack with expressions of great interest and suspicion, respectively.

Jack may be slow, but he wasn't that slow. "Wait a minute," he started, hands up in defense, "that's impossible! And I'm in a position to know!"

At that statement, Sam pushed back her chair and fled out of the commissary, leaving the three men looking after her in utter surprise.

"Where'd Sam go? Uh…is everything okay?" They looked up at Haley, seeing her wavy brown hair and penchant for sweets in a whole new light.

Jack sat at the table, staring at Haley for so long that she began to squirm uncomfortably in her chair. He mentally shook himself out of his reverie. He smiled apologetically at her, all the while wondering if the impossible was actually possible. His food forgotten, Jack finally pushed back his chair. "Well, campers, I have a few questions I need to ask Carter. See you later." Daniel and Teal'c nodded understandingly and Haley flashed him a smile. He almost got stuck staring at her again, but broke himself away and went to look for his missing Colonel.

* * *

Jack finally found Sam hiding in the locker room with the 'Women Only' sign flipped over. 'If she really thought that was going to stop me she has another thing coming,' thought Jack. He knocked on the door, announcing "I'm coming in whether you like it or not." 

She was sitting on a bench in front of her open locker, back stiff and eyes staring straight ahead. Jack sat down next to her, watching her and willing her to look at him. While he was waiting, he thought back over the last year or so, wondering how he could miss anything as…well…_memorable_ as he imagined being with Carter would be. He was brought out of his trip down memory lane by Carter's soft voice.

"I'm sorry, I should have suspected…I should have known, but I just couldn't…"

"Are you trying to say that Haley _is_ my…child?"

Sam finally looked over at him and nodded.

"But-" he started, "Well, I'm no doctor, but in order to have kids together, don't two people…well…uh…" he trailed off and made some vague motions with his hands. Carter just nodded again. "But, we never ah…" She stopped nodding and just stared at him for a moment. And then she distinctly nodded.

Jack got up and started pacing. "Carter, I'd like to think that I would remember something like that…"

"But you don't," came the small voice again. He turned and looked at her, noting that she now sat straight up with her eyes closed as if remembering something long buried. "You were so ill there at the end. We were alone on that crazy planet in the middle of winter. I knew…I knew that I probably couldn't save you. I sat there all those nights listening to your breath rattling in your chest, knowing that you were dying, knowing that I would be left all alone on that planet without you, knowing that you were dying because of me. You had been babbling deliriously, reliving every horrible thing that had happened to you, but on the third night, you were so silent and still that I thought I would go crazy." Sam's eyes were now open, staring off at something Jack couldn't see. She paused to draw a deep breath and Jack just stood, shocked by what she was saying, guilty that he had put her through that.

"That night, I lost whatever clinical cool I had, I got down and begged you not to leave me, begged you to fight. You finally woke that night, and for a short while you seemed to know who I was, maybe you had heard me begging. You put your hand on my face, said my name…and…we…I know it shouldn't have happened and that maybe I was taking advantage of your condition, but none of that mattered to me at the time, not sitting there in the dark silence, knowing that I was really going to lose you this time. I just…needed to know, needed to…feel." She closed her eyes again, a single tear wandering down her cheek. She roughly brushed it away. "By the next morning you were out again, getting much worse. But then Dad and the others got there. When you finally woke up, you remembered nothing…"

'And I practically ordered her to go see Pete,' Jack thought with disgust. He went around the bench and kneeled down in front of her. "Sam…why didn't you ever tell me? And don't say because you didn't want me to get court-martialed."

Sam looked down at him, shrugging. "What was I supposed to say? You didn't remember any of it, not to mention that you are my CO and I was engaged. No matter what I felt for you, no matter what had happened, nothing was going to change, was it?"

Jack had no answer for that, though he couldn't help but feel that she wasn't being completely honest, but could he really blame her? These were the excuses they had been using for years, to make sure that they never got too close. But now they had and Sam was the one who had to deal with that all by herself.

"So, you just did your best to forget and hoped that no one would ever find out?"

"I thought, maybe, that if I got married, if I settled down to a normal life, that I could move on. But even Pete could see through that. God, I even made you be in the wedding to prove to myself that I didn't care anymore! And then I tried to blame you for Pete leaving me." She buried her head in her hands.

Sam's actions after the wedding were beginning to make a lot more sense to Jack. As was the distance she put between them those months after the planet. Jack had been too tied up in his own pain at losing her that he hadn't paid much attention to what she was really feeling. "I should have known something was wrong."

Sam shook her head. "No, none of this is your fault. I should have been stronger."

"I don't think you were weak, Sam. That time on the planet, it was hard and after…well, let's just say that there are few people I know that are as strong as you."

She looked at him and took a deep breath. "But…I ran away from what happened…because…it scared me to death." Jack put his hands on her arms.

"That bad, huh?" She gave him a look that begged him to be serious and he mentally kicked himself. It was his usual response to anything between them that seemed to get too close. He was a master of it at this point such that it kicked in without him thinking about it. "Sorry," he muttered, "old habit." He got up and sat down beside her on the bench. He could only imagine what it would be like to have a memory like that that the other person couldn't remember. How would he have dealt with it? Probably not any better. Maybe it was time to be honest.

"I think we are both pretty good at running away, Sam."

Sam didn't reply but simply leaned into Jack, wrapping her arms around him, burying her head in the crook of his neck. She breathed in his scent and reveled in the feel of his arms around her. "I never thought I would get to feel this again," she murmured into his neck. Jack squeezed her tightly to his chest, taking his own comfort in the feel of her in his arms.

They sat like that for some time, savoring a forbidden moment. Eventually, reality reasserted itself in the form of footsteps in the corridor outside, and they pulled apart. They stared at each other for a long time, but they knew that neither of them had any solutions for their situation. There was simply far too much to lose. One lingering look and a flash of understanding between the two and they stood up and left the room. Jack silently wondered if soon all the rooms of the SGC would be filled up with the moments and feelings that they had agreed to suppress and "leave in the room."

He must have sighed audibly at the thought, because Sam looked back at him, a question in her eyes. He shook his head and gave her a neutral smile, knowing that she had been right earlier. Nothing had changed and he began to wonder if anything ever could. For now, they needed to deal with the fall-out. Hopefully they would both still have jobs when all was said and done.

* * *

Jack looked up from his desk at the sound of a soft knock to see Haley wander into his office. 

"You wanted to see me, Jack?"

Jack nodded and gestured for her to come in. Jack watched her cross the room, a slight smile on her face, though he could tell from her posture that she wasn't unaware that something was up. Jack once again looked down at the medical report on his desk, the statement that proved, beyond scientific doubt, that this young woman was his daughter.

Haley, meanwhile, had wandered around his office up to a row of shelves on the back wall. She picked up a small framed photograph and gazed at it.

"Charlie."

Haley's soft voice brought Jack's head up. He glanced at the photograph. Who had told Haley about Charlie? How could she know?

Haley must have noticed his surprise and confusion. She smiled softly again. "I look at this photograph, and I just think, 'Charlie.' I'm right, aren't I?" Her bright blue eyes looked intently at Jack, with that now familiar gaze that demonstrated a wealth of knowledge and wisdom that belied her age.

Jack felt that she was asking more than if that was his son. She was also asking how she knew that information, asking if she was his daughter. "You already knew…you already knew that I am your…father?" The word felt weird on his lips, it had been so long since he had been anybody's father.

Haley shrugged and looked back at the photograph in her hands. "I had my suspicions."

Jack was stunned, but then remembered the questions she had asked him and the strange way she had watched him. "And you never said anything?"

"It wasn't my place," she said softly, before turning back to look at the picture of Charlie. She suddenly seemed much smaller and younger as she sat staring at her dead half-brother. As if she was now unsure of herself. Jack was scrambling to think of something to say, what it meant to him to have a daughter.

Her voice broke his train of thought, however. It was so quiet that he almost missed it. "I'm sorry, Jack."

He stared at her in confusion. "What could you possibly have to be sorry about?"

She took a deep breath, while she continued to stare at the photograph with intense concentration. "It just seems wrong somehow. Charlie, he was a good, kind person. He was loved, wanted; you tried so long to get him. He should be here."

Jack was startled at how she could know such things, such that Sara and Jack had tried for two long years to get pregnant. Though, he was beginning to expect such flashes of personal feelings and information from Haley. Jack was, however, unclear as to where this was going.

Haley finally looked back up at Jack, her eyes awash with unshed tears. "I would, if I could. I would trade places with him."

Finally realizing where she was going, Jack came around the desk and gently took Haley by the shoulders. "No, Haley." he said softly. "I can think of many things that I would give up to have Charlie back, but I would not exchange one child for another."

She broke away from his grasp and walked away from him, staring out at the empty debriefing room. "Come on, Jack. Don't treat me like I am the same. We are _not_ equal. I am an accident, and a dangerous one at that. An abomination. I have humans, Tok'ra, Goa'uld and Ancients running around in my head. We both know that my very existence is a huge threat to Earth and her allies."

Jack came up behind her, "Haley, you may not have been planned, but you _are_ wanted. And we will never let anyone hurt you again."

She turned around to look up at him, her eyes betraying her fear and her desperate need to belong. "C'mere," he said softly as he enfolded her in a hug. "Heck, Haley, I was crazy about you before I even knew about any of this."

Haley pulled back and gave him a watery smile. "That's only because I remind you of her."

Jack smiled back at her, "Yeah, maybe, but with a much better sense of humor." They gazed at each other with identical goofy grins on their faces.

"So…you don't mind?" Haley asked hesitantly.

"Mind! Of course not. It might be a bit of a shock, but I am proud to be your father."

Haley smiled and then looked mischievously up at him, "Even if I become a scientist?"

Jack let out a mock groan and rolled his eyes. Then he smiled and gently touched her face, "Even if you become the biggest geek this planet has ever seen."

* * *

Jack stared at his phone for a long time, trying to think of all the right things to say. He sighed after a while and realized that the right words wouldn't change anything. They had crossed a major line and left a lot of broken regulations in their wake. He dreaded telling Hammond, not only because there were sure to be repercussions for both their careers, but because Hammond was sure to be disappointed in them. 

Carter was pacing back in forth in the briefing room; Jack kept seeing snatches of her as she passed by his window. Jack really wasn't sure how all of this would affect them either. They both knew things couldn't be different, but that didn't erase what had happened. Nothing would ever be the same between them. Jack wasn't sure who was luckier, him because he couldn't remember any of it (not that it didn't keep his imagination from trying), or Carter because she at least had one memory, an idea of what might have been under different circumstances. Well, one thing was for sure, this whole thing was giving Jack a headache and he felt older than ever.

With one last sigh, Jack picked up the phone and dialed Hammond. To his credit, Hammond remained silent through the entire recitation of the situation. Jack didn't leave anything out, not seeing the point in editing. When he was done, Hammond was conspicuously quiet.

"Jack," Hammond finally sighed heavily, "please tell me that this hasn't been an ongoing thing."

"No, sir. It was just one isolated incident. You know us better than that."

"Yes, I thought I did."

Jack tried not to flinch at the weary accusation. He glanced out into the briefing room to see Carter sitting dejectedly with her head in her hands. He knew they both felt like they had let Hammond down, not to mention the entire SGC. The rumor mill was going to be out of control when this got out.

"Well, Jack. I think the extenuating circumstances might help smooth things out. After all, for all we know there were alien viruses or mid-alerting substances on that planet."

Jack seriously doubted that, but he could clearly see that Hammond was trying to find them an out and he was grateful for it. Hammond was always willing to go out on a limb for them. "Yes, sir," Jack said simply.

"I'll run this past a few people and let you know what we come up with. But, Jack, just be aware, people are going to be watching you even closer than they were before. None of us can afford for there to be another slip-up."

Jack closed his eyes and bit back a sigh. Sometimes putting the greater good first really sucked. "I understand."

"So," Hammond said after a long pause, "tell me about Haley. With you two as her parents, I imagine she's got to be one interesting woman."

Jack couldn't help but smile at his warm tone. Even though they had screwed up royally, Hammond had forgiven them their weaknesses. "Well, luckily for all of us, I think she takes more after Carter."

Hammond laughed. "Thank God for small favors," he said earnestly.

Jack chuckled and looked up to see Carter in the doorway. She was watching at him with concern and he smiled to let her know everything would be okay. She smiled back, but he couldn't help but notice that it didn't quite reach her eyes.

* * *

Daniel carefully watched Jack and Sam as the weeks passed. As they all suspected, the SGC rumor mill was running rife with stories, almost all of them wide of the mark. But the fact that they were mostly wrong didn't stop people from whispering in the halls and watching avidly whenever Jack and Sam happened to be at the same place at the same time. Daniel had overheard his fair share of offhand comments, most of which he was able to quell with a harsh glare. Being a member of the infamous SG-1 did have some benefits after all. He suspected that Teal'c was using his own tactics to demonstrate his displeasure at the rumors about his friends. At least that might explain how Lieutenant Meyer's face 'accidentally' ran into Teal'c's fist. 

The whole debacle reached its climax about two weeks after Haley's parentage had been revealed. A wet behind the ears, newly transferred Airman First Class made the enormous error of repeating base gossip that Lt. Colonel Carter had apparently slept her way up the ranks. Not that Daniel had never heard such rubbish before, but most SGC personnel knew Sam well enough to know that she was an excellent officer and a genius to boot. What really raised this careless comment to the level of apocalyptic nightmare was that fact that one Brigadier General Jack O'Neill happened to be walking down the corridor at that same moment.

The resulting confrontation was one that was sure to go down forever into the SGC annals of lore. Daniel, not having been lucky enough to have actually been in Corridor 3C on level 22 that day, heard the story second hand through one of the nurses. While stories gathered in such ways could usually be assured to have been embellished, Daniel suspected that this story was epic enough based just on the facts.

Needless to say, Jack lost his temper. While there was no physical assault, Jack had dressed down the lowly Airman so loudly and thoroughly that the poor guy had dissolved into shivering near-hysterics. Some rumors had it that the Airman had transferred or drummed out, but Daniel knew better. He had seen him, days later, scrubbing away at a urinal with what looked suspiciously like a toothbrush on level 27.

As unpleasant as the whole scene was, it did have the happy effect of quickly squashing the rampant rumors. By the time another week had passed, the base was already on to greener pastures, such as whether or not Nurse Yamada would ever give Lieutenant Williams the time of day. Unfortunately, it did not have a similar effect on Jack and Sam.

Daniel couldn't imagine anyone would be stupid enough to share the story of the altercation with Sam, but somehow he suspected she knew anyway. Sam locked herself away in her lab more often than usual. Jack, for his part, was like a wounded bear, glaring at any and all people that got in his way. Needless to say, base personnel learned to give him a wide berth. When they were together, as was necessitated when SG-1 was heading off for a mission, Jack and Sam were polite to each other, almost to the point of absurdity. Gone completely were the smiles, jokes and 'accidental' touches that had long been part of their repertoire. During these painfully long briefings, Teal'c and Daniel would share exasperated glances, completely at a loss of how to fix it.

Even Haley seemed aware of the tension between her parents, made most obvious by her sudden inability to fit the Thursday lunches into her 'busy' schedule. Daniel imagined that it was more likely that she was tired of all the staring and uncomfortable silences between Jack and Sam. But as Daniel didn't really feel like scrubbing toilets with his toothbrush, he bit his tongue and didn't say anything. This was something they were going to have to figure out on their own.

* * *

Jack was not unaware of the sudden absence of his daughter from the base, nor of Carter's continued hibernation in her lab. He was, however, at a bit of a loss as to what to do about it. Sure, he was just as guilty, carefully avoiding Carter at all costs, but he a really good reason for that. Really. 

To be honest, Jack just couldn't stand the guilt he saw in her eyes every time they were together. He understood her better than he would ever admit to, and he knew exactly what she was thinking. She was blaming herself for all the gossip and for potentially ruining his career as well as for 'taking advantage' of him, which was really the stupidest of the three. Was she really dumb enough to think that he would have to be tricked into something like that? After all, it does take two to do the proverbial tango. He could tell her how he really felt or heck, even show her, but he didn't think that was exactly what Hammond had in mind when he warned Jack to be circumspect. Plus, such a declaration would certainly not make getting everything back normal any easier. But ignoring each other wasn't helping either, and to be honest, he missed her.

It was in this frame of mind that Jack found himself outside her lab, deciding that he had finally had enough. Not that Jack was going to insist that they talk about things or something, that wasn't his style. Instead, he would institute a foolproof plan that would signal that he was fed up with all the avoiding and awkward silences. He would make her talk to him again like she used to, even if he had to annoy her past the point of all politeness to do it.

Carter seemed very surprised to look up from her work to find Jack playing with one of her doohickeys. Jack waited for her to tell him to put it down, but instead she just said, very politely, "Is there something I can help you with, sir?"

Jack smiled and moved on to play with another gadget. "Nope. Just came to see what you were up to." 'Ah, there it is,' he thought as he saw a small glimmer of exasperation in her eye. But she chose not to comment. Instead, she turned back to her work, effectively ignoring him.

Jack continued to fiddle his way through the contents of her lab for the next ten minutes, prattling on and on as he did about the latest Simpson's episode he watched and how his hockey team was doing this season. He thought he might have heard Carter grinding her teeth at one point and he decided he had stayed long enough. "I'm heading down to get a snack, wanna come?"

He knew from the tension in her shoulders that she had been aware of his every movement for the last ten minutes and that she was using ever ounce of control not to yell at him to leave her stuff alone. He was mildly impressed when she managed to turn to him and say, in a rather calm voice, "No thank you, sir. I have a lot of work to do."

Jack just shrugged and said, "Suit yourself. See you later."

As he left her lab, he swore he heard the sound of some gizmo reaching maximum velocity before crashing against a wall. He chuckled softly, knowing that he was pushing all the right buttons. It was just a matter of time. After all, even yelling at him would be better than this distant politeness.

Jack repeated that scene every day for the next week. Everyday he would wander into her lab, fiddling and chatting until he was sure she was about to burst and then calmly ask if she wanted to go get a snack. She carefully declined each time through clenched teeth.

It was the eighth time that he ambled randomly into her lab that Carter finally snapped. She sighed dramatically and bit out, "Do you think it's entirely appropriate for you to be here…Sir?" Big stress on the 'sir.' Jack almost smiled.

"Why wouldn't it be, Colonel?" he asked innocently.

Carter took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I'm sure you have more important things to be doing, General," she said, clearly trying to side step the issue. But Jack would have none of it. It was time for stage two of his plan; give Carter something to chew on.

"Carter, this is ridiculous. Last time I checked, we are not having a torrid affair, nor did you earn your promotions based on anything other than your merit and the fact that you have saved this world's ass more times than anyone. So why do you insist on darting around like teenagers who have something to hide?"

Cater just stared back at him, her mouth hanging open in way that Jack thought was really very cute.

"It's time to stop avoiding me because of some misplaced sense of guilt or embarrassment or whatever."

Carter's mouth moved as if she was going to say something, but eventually she just snapped it shut and stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights.

Jack smiled, put down the gizmo he was currently fiddling with and headed out the door. As he left, he called back over his shoulder, "Just think about it." And he knew that she would.

* * *

Two days later, Daniel wandered into the commissary for a late afternoon caffeine fix to find Jack and Sam sitting together at a table eating jello. Over the voices of the other people he could distinctly hear Jack informing Sam that everybody knew that red jello was inherently better tasting and that she had to be crazy to think otherwise. Sam retorted something to the effect that all scientific evidence pointed to the conclusion that blue jello was infinitely better. Jack's eyes had taken on that glazed look they always did when Sam went off on a scientific tangent. When she finished, Jack rolled his eyes and accused her of sucking all the fun out of life. Sam smiled wickedly at Jack and then dug back into her blue jello with an almost indecent relish. 

Daniel was stunned by the scene that was so patently Sam and Jack, and he felt a wide grin spreading across his face. Who would have thought that those two could actually work something out on their own? After sending up a quick prayer of thanks, Daniel decided not to join them. Instead, once loaded up with a mug of coffee, he retreated into the hall, the sound of Sam's laughter following him. Daniel didn't even try to wipe the grin off his face as he headed back towards his lab, certain in the knowledge that everything was finally going to be okay.


	8. Sacrifice

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Sacrifice  
Author: Annerb  
Warnings: Minor language, violence  
Summary: It's time to meet Grandpa and the summit will have devastating consequences that no one saw coming.  
Classifications: Series, S/J Angst, Drama, Action  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Archive: Yes  
Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: This was fun to write, I always love thinking of Jacob's response to Jack and Sam! As for the rest, all I can say is "I'm sorry!" I said at the beginning that this was a soap opera! Montage and Triptnx: Thank you!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

Part 8: Sacrifice 

Haley stood at the base of the Stargate, watching the whirling ring with fascination. This was to be only her third trip through the gate, but she was much calmer than she had been on the previous occasions. At least this time she had friends and family with her and there was no threat of impending doom. She turned to consider her father. Jack looked, if possible, more nervous than Haley felt. His face was drawn and he kept fiddling with the cover on his watch. This seemed odd behavior considering how many times he had been through the gate. Not to mention the fact that they were visiting an established safe house on an SGC controlled planet.

PX2-204, affectionately called the Delta-site, had been established with the help of the Tok'ra soon after the discovery of the Reynaul lab. Apparently, the Tok'ra had long sought evidence of the Reynaul civilization and were eager to reestablish ties with the SGC if it meant they could have access to the newly uncovered technology. Jack had been more than slightly annoyed by their former ally's sudden turnabout, but knew that Earth needed all the friends it could get. So for the last few months, an eclectic mix of Tok'ra, rebel Jaffa and SGC scientists and soldiers had been living on PX2-204, a naquadah-free, uninhabited planet that the Tok'ra had moved a Stargate to. It was the safest of all off-world sites as it was not anywhere on the Goa'uld radar.

This was, of course, the only reason Haley had actually been given permission to travel off-world. Which is what made Jack's obvious nervousness so strange. If it was safe enough for Haley, what could Jack possibly have to fear? Haley looked questioningly at her mother to see if she had any idea why he was acting in such a way. Sam merely smiled and shook her head. She seemed to be struggling not to laugh out loud. As if sensing her mirth, Jack glared at Sam. She just smiled back at him and went back to checking her gear.

Haley shook head and wandered over to where Daniel and Teal'c were getting their stuff together. Daniel smiled at Haley. "You excited to visit the Delta-site?"

"Yeah, I am. Though Jack doesn't seem as pleased."

Daniel looked over at Jack and smiled, his eyes dancing with suppressed amusement. "Don't mind him, Haley. He's just looking forward to explaining everything to Jacob. Like, exactly how you came to be."

Haley blushed as she realized what he meant. "Oh," she said in a small voice. She looked over at her father again, who was now impatiently shifting from one leg to the other, looking like he was seriously considering making a break for it. Sam reached out and touched his arm, saying something softly to him. Jack stopped fiddling immediately, but looked even more deathly pale as Sam walked away from him up the ramp, clearly not liking what she had said. Sam smiled at Haley as she went past, palpably amused.

Haley looked back over at Daniel and said, "This should be fun to watch."

Daniel adamantly agreed.

* * *

Jacob was there to greet them when they stepped through to the other side. 

"It's good to see you, Sammie," he said as he pulled his daughter into a hug. He nodded at both Daniel and Teal'c. "Jack, what a surprise. If you finally managed to wrestle some time away from the SGC, this is a weird place to spend a vacation."

Jack didn't answer; he just gave Jacob a tight smile that looked more like a grimace.

Jacob eventually turned to Haley. "And who is this?"

Jack shuffled his feet and opened his mouth only to snap it back shut. He glanced at Sam, but she didn't look inclined to say anything either, seemingly frozen to the spot. Haley sighed audibly and stepped forward, sticking her hand out towards Jacob. Might as well bite the bullet and get it over with.

"Hello, Jacob. I'm your granddaughter, Haley Carter-O'Neill."

The older man had instinctually taken her hand when offered, but he now stood completely rigid at the information so unceremoniously offered. He was probably unaware that his grip on her hand had become almost painful.

Sam quickly rediscovered her mobility at this point, probably driven forward by the grimace on Haley's face. Sam stepped forward and put a hand on her father's shoulder. "Dad, let go of Haley," she said softly.

Realizing he was probably hurting her, Jacob instantly let go and then looked at Sam, still at a loss for words. Then he suddenly turned to Jack and bellowed, "My WHAT!"

* * *

Jack, Sam and Jacob left a clearly amused Daniel, a concerned Haley and an indifferent Teal'c behind and went into the nearest structure. One glare from Jacob was all it took to clear the room of the few scientists that had been working inside. He then turned and regarded both Sam and Jack with a quelling gaze. 

"Care to tell me exactly what is going on here before I give in to the urge to shoot someone?"

"Look, Dad, this wasn't exactly the way I had hoped this would go. I'm sure Haley just thought she was being helpful. Just give me a chance to explain."

"Explain what exactly? How it is that I suddenly have a fully grown grandchild, that if I could take a guess, you aren't even old enough to have!"

Sam flinched at his tone, but gamely kept trying to explain. "It's a long story, Dad. I need you to sit down and hear me out."

Jacob looked like sitting down and being calm were the last things he wanted to do at the moment, but after sending another fierce glare in the direction of Jack, he eventually acquiesced.

Sam began to pace as she told the story. "You remember the mission you sent us on to check out the experiments that Baal had been running with human DNA?"

Jacob nodded.

"Well, when we got there, we found Haley. Enki had been experimenting on her using gene therapy, ostensibly to work out a way to create a human/Goa'uld hybrid that would have the genetic memory of the Tau'ri and Tok'ra." Jacob looked like he was going to interrupt, but Sam raised one hand to silence him. "It turns out that Baal had…taken Haley from me when she was just an embryo. I had no idea I was ever even pregnant. They used nanocytes to accelerate the aging process."

Jacob looked completely thunderstruck. "Did they succeed?" he managed to ask eventually.

"They never learned anything from her, but she does seem to have certain abilities. She can speak many languages and can sometimes access limited images, so far mostly from my memories. Or General O'Neill's," she added as an afterthought.

Sam turned to Jack as something occurred to her. "Daniel being dragged around by a big, hairy animal?" Sam inquired.

Jack looked startled at the off-topic question and then nodded. "First Abydos mission."

"Ah. That makes more sense."

Jacob put his hands up. "Whoa, wait a minute," he said in exasperation. "Back up. You said that you were captured by Baal while you were pregnant? When exactly was this?"

Sam shuffled her feet for a second and glanced surreptitiously at Jack. "Umm…right after you rescued me from that time-warped planet."

"I see," Jacob said in a deceptively quiet voice. He then abruptly stood and charged up to Jack, who automatically took a few steps back. "So…while you were stranded on a planet in the middle of nowhere, you thought it would be a good idea to take advantage of my little girl? You're her superior officer! Are you insane!"

Sam didn't let herself even have a moment to enjoy the panicked look on Jack's face. Instead, she rushed forward to step between the two men. "Dad! Please! I'm a grown woman. And if you really want to know, it was more like I took advantage of him-"

Jack and Jacob let out matching groans.

"Carter-" Jack ground out warningly, clearly thinking that this was not helping their case.

Jacob quickly covered his ears, "I _so_ don't want to hear this!"

Sam would have laughed if the whole situation hadn't been so serious.

"Listen, Dad. I'm not here to explain my actions or anyone else's to you. We're here to introduce you to your granddaughter. And hopefully I don't have to remind you that none of this is her fault. So, if you want to be angry with me or with General O'Neill, then fine, so be it. But don't you dare take it out on her. She has been through enough as it is without a grumpy old man glaring at her."

"Grumpy old man?" Jacob repeated incredulously, even as he looked slightly sheepish at her scolding. Jacob looked to Jack to see his reaction, but Jack just shrugged his shoulders, not anymore willing than Jacob to tempt Sam's wrath.

"She's the boss," Jack said unapologetically.

"Whipped already, huh?" remarked Jacob.

Sam rolled her eyes and left them to it, certain that there was no longer any danger of Jacob dismembering Jack. "I'm going to go get Haley. Remember what I said, Dad!"

As she left the lab, she could have sworn she heard Jacob mumble, "Yes, ma'am!"

* * *

Jacob glared once more at Jack for good measure as Sam left to get Haley. 

'You can't really be surprised, Jacob,' said Selmak, her voice clearly amused.

'What exactly is that supposed to mean?'

Selmak laughed softly. 'I know you have been trying to pretend that you haven't noticed, but we both have known for a long time that there was something between them.'

'I don't know what you are talking about,' Jacob groused.

'Sure, you don't,' she said in a voice that let Jacob know that she thought it was ridiculous to try and lie to yourself. Repression doesn't really work when you are sharing your body with another being. Sometimes having a symbiote was a real pain in the-

'Do you really want to finish that thought, Jacob?' Selmak interrupted sweetly.

Jacob groaned out loud and earned himself a strange look from Jack. 'Look, could we just drop this for now?'

'Of course, Jacob. Though there is another matter of some importance to discuss.'

'Haley.'

'Yes. The Goa'uld have meddled in things they should have better left alone,' Selmak observed in a strained voice. 'If she truly has genetic memory, she is a danger to all of us.'

'If she were ever captured…' Jacob said, his mind already calculating the threat.

'I fear there are even greater threats than her simply being captured.'

Jacob was unsure what she meant, but he could feel her closing herself off from him. Selmak would tell him when she was ready.

Jacob turned to Jack and asked, "How many people are aware of Haley's 'abilities'?"

Jack looked a little thrown by his abrupt shift from angry father to military tactician, but recovered quickly. "We have kept it pretty quiet, just her doctor, Hammond, the President. But the NID did manage to get their hands on her for a while, so there may be a rogue element out there."

Jacob sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Nothing's ever easy with you two is it?"

Jack didn't bother to answer the rhetorical question.

"Just do me a favor, Jack, don't mention any of this to any of the other Tok'ra. The less people who know, the better, and anyway, the Tok'ra are a bit antsy when it comes to genetic experimentation."

"I take it that's a big no-no for the Tok'ra, too, then?"

Jacob nodded. "Forbidden and all that," he said wearily.

Jack muttered something under his breath about 'snakeheads.'

They were saved from Selmak taking offense by the appearance of Sam and Haley.

'She certainly looks a great deal like Samantha,' remarked Selmak.

'Yes,' agreed Jacob. 'And her grandmother, too,' he added somewhat wistfully.

Haley did not immediately approach Jacob, but rather walked straight up to Jack and looked him up and down. "Well, you still seem to be in one piece," she noted rather flippantly, probably trying to hide the concern that Jacob could still easily read in her posture.

"No thanks to you," Jack scowled.

Haley smiled rather wickedly. "I knew you could handle it. Plus, that was too much fun to pass up."

Jack ran his hands over his face. "You're going to be the death of me one of these days, kiddo," he complained, not without affection.

Haley laughed and patted his shoulder. "You should only be so lucky."

'She may well look like Samantha, but I fear she has quite a bit of O'Neill's personality,' observed Selmak.

'Great. Just what this universe needs, more chaos.' But even as he thought that, he noticed the way Haley easily penetrated Jack's grumpiness, effortlessly coaxing a smile out of him even as he tried to stay mad at her. Jacob stole a glance at his daughter, who was watching the pair with affection they continued to trade barbs. 'She is good for them,' noted Jacob.

'Yes,' agreed Selmak. 'I only hope that it can last.'

Jacob was just to ask what that cryptic statement meant when Haley finally turned her attention to her grandfather. "Jacob," she said carefully, her face neutral.

"Haley. Sorry about your hand, I was just a little surprised."

The slightest smile touched Haley's lips. "I can understand that. I've had my own fair share of surprises lately."

"So I've heard. You don't happen to have any more brothers and sisters hiding out, waiting to surprise me, do you? I'm not sure my heart could take it." Jacob was trying to lighten the mood, but he was surprised to see Haley's face pale and Jack move to take one step closer to her. "I was just kidding," he added quickly.

Haley gave Jack a shaky smile. "It's okay," she said softly before turning back to Jacob. "You'll have to be content with just me, Jacob."

Jacob took in Jack's protective stance and silently wondered what exactly he hadn't been filled in on yet. What had Sam said earlier? _She has been through enough as it is…_ What exactly had that meant?

Jacob turned his attention back to his granddaughter who was looking up at him through a neutral mask. He smiled warmly at her and said, "Well, considering that you are the only grandchild I have that actually knows the truth about me and can actually visit me, that will be more than enough for me."

Jacob was rewarded with a slight smile.

"So, Haley, what do you think of our little set-up here?" Jacob drew Haley into a discussion of various topics about the planet and the Reynaul, eventually uncovering Haley's part in the discovery. Jacob could sense Jack and Sam relaxing a bit as they fell into a companionable conversation.

Ten minutes later they were interrupted by an airman that came to inform Jack and Sam that Colonel Diaz, the Delta-site commander, was ready to meet with them.

Sam turned to Haley. "General O'Neill and I are going to meet with some of the SGC personnel. We'll meet up later?"

"Sounds good," Haley said as they left her alone with Jacob.

Jacob snorted rather indelicately at their retreating backs. Haley looked at him in surprise.

Jacob smiled slightly and said, "They have a kid together and she still calls him 'General O'Neill.'"

A broad grin covered Haley's face. "Yeah, well, nothing's ever easy with those two."

Jacob resisted the urge to laugh as she unknowingly repeated his words from moments before. "And that doesn't bother you?" he asked, watching her closely.

Haley shrugged. "They'll figure it out when they're ready." She stared thoughtfully after her parent's retreating backs for a moment before turning to Jacob with a slightly mischievous smile. "Someone stands to make a lot of money off them someday."

"Money?" asked Jacob.

Haley shook her head with amusement. "Nice try, Gramps, but I already saw your name on Daniel's list for the betting pool."

"That was Selmak," Jacob defended.

"Sure," Haley said disbelievingly.

'Definitely too much like Jack,' Jacob thought with some amusement. Selmak didn't answer.

* * *

Haley was squired around the new facilities by Jacob. They spent quite a bit of time touring the labs where they were working on various projects relating to the Reynaul discovery. Wisely enough, they were not working with 'the gift' as it was called by the Reynaul. It was too much of a risk to work with the organisms that were deadly to naquadah-laced beings at a site populated by Tok'ra and Jaffa. But in the database they managed to download some portions of, they did find specs for energy generating machines that had made Sam's eyes light up as well as some medical devices that still had the SGC doctors scratching their heads in bewilderment. 

Jacob led Haley up to a long table covered in equipment. She nodded as she was introduced to two Tok'ra currently working on various projects in the lab.

"This is what I have been working on," Jacob said as he gestured towards a table with a small silver device on it.

"What is it?" Haley asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Well, it seems that the Reynaul were trying to create a type of weapon to fight the Goa'uld. In principle, this device disrupts the bonds between organic materials on an atomic level."

"You mean it basically dematerializes objects?"

"Basically. To be honest, I haven't gotten it to work yet. The first few prototypes seemed to get stuck in some sort of feedback loop and practically exploded. Let off a huge energy discharge. I'm hoping Sam can help me figure something out."

Haley was just about to ask about the purpose of another strange-looking object when a pair of doors opened and a Tok'ra entered. The Tok'ra approached Jacob and said something quietly to him. Jacob nodded and promised to meet the man later in the afternoon.

Haley found herself inexplicably staring at the rather non-descript Tok'ra talking to Jacob. He was about the same height as Jacob, but with longer, blond hair. He was rather young and probably considered handsome to some. But it was not his looks that caught Haley's attention. Something in the back of her mind just tingled or something. She couldn't help but think that she should know this man.

The object of Haley's scrutiny looked up to find her staring and she thought she saw a flicker of recognition or something in his eyes.

"Haley, this is Kalresh. He's been helping us with some of the translations."

Haley plastered a polite smile on her face at the introduction and put out her hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Kalresh took her hand and smiled back. "The pleasure is all mine."

His handshake was weak and something in his voice made Haley's skin crawl, but she kept a smile on her face, sure that she was imagining it. She dropped his hand as soon as she could.

"Well, if you will both excuse me, I have a project that demands my attention," Kalresh said with a slight nod, before leaving the lab. Haley stared after him for a long moment, convinced that she was missing something.

"Haley?"

Jacob's hand on her arm brought her back out of her musings. She shook her head and smiled. "Sorry. I think I zoned out for a second there."

Jacob watched her closely for a moment before shrugging. "I'm sure it's time for a break. How about we find Sam and Jack and get some lunch?"

Haley smiled at Jacob. "Sure, sounds good." But as they wandered the compound in search of her parents, Haley couldn't quite shake a feeling of unease.

* * *

The first blast nearly toppled Haley out of her cot. She had been having a weird dream about talking marshmallows that were warning her to save the waffles from an evil dung beetle bent on galactic domination. She reminded herself to not eat any late-night Jack Special Snacks before bed anymore. She was about to drift off again, when her sleep-addled brain dimly registered another booming impact. The walls around her gently shook and fine cloud of dust floated down from the ceiling beams. 'What the hell?' she thought to herself before pulling on some clothes and dashing out the front door. 

She stopped abruptly at the sight before her. Death gliders swarmed in the sky and a row of Jaffa were holding position between the 'gate and the compound. Various Tok'ra, rebel Jaffa and SGC personnel were holding off the Jaffa front line. But it didn't take a military tactician to see that the enemy troops vastly outnumbered them.

A staff blast impacting the building right next to Haley pushed her into action. Keeping low, she ran for the main lab, trying to remember if she saw a weapons locker there the day before.

She burst into the lab, seconds before another staff blast impacted on the ground she had occupied only moments before. Jack, Sam, Jacob, Daniel and Teal'c all stood around one table, presumably collecting data and creating a plan of defense.

"What the hell is going on?" Haley finally managed to voice.

They all turned to look at her. "It's Baal," Jack finally said distractedly. "We just picked up his mothership entering orbit 15 minutes ago."

"Baal?" Haley asked in a voice that was barely more than a rasp. She could literally feel the blood draining from her face and she had to grab the back of a nearby chair to steady herself. "How?"

"We don't know, Haley," Daniel said softly, coming over to comfort Haley as the others turned back to planning. "Don't worry, we'll figure a way to get back through the gate."

Haley reached out and grabbed his hand. "Don't lie to me, Daniel," she said softly.

Daniel opened his mouth to reassure her, but something in her face made him stop. Empty ameliorations were not going to cut it. So instead, he squeezed her hand and honestly said, "Yeah. It's bad. But we've had worse."

Haley nodded slowly, fighting back the panic that was rising in her chest at the mere mention of Baal.

"Haley, you will stay here," Jack ordered in a tone that suggested he was more than ready for Haley to disagree with him.

But to his surprise, and everyone else's, Haley just nodded absently. She was too busy contemplating the odds that Baal would show up on this planet while she was here. It was only the second time she had stepped off-world and there he was!

Sam's voice brought her out of her reverie. "We mean it Haley, just stay here under cover until we can get you back through the Stargate."

Haley stared at Sam for a long moment, not really hearing what she was saying. There was a high-pitched buzzing in her ears and her heart was beating almost painfully. Sam said something again and Haley just nodded and looked around the lab, retreating behind a solid looking counter at the rear of the building. She shared a last glance with her parents, silently praying that it wouldn't be the last time she saw them.

After arming themselves, everyone but Haley filed out of the building to take up defensive positions. She could hear the thumping sound of staff blasts and the answering rattle of P-90s. 'This just can't be a coincidence,' Haley thought. And then it hit her. Baal was here because of her. He wanted her back. But how?

"Kalresh," she growled. With growing certainty, she finally understood how Baal had found her. The familiar looking Tok'ra's identity solidified in her mind. That rat bastard was in league with the Goa'uld and Jolinar had known it. Damn it, if only she had been quicker to access those memories, if only…

This was her fault. Haley was no longer under any illusions as to why the Goa'uld had shown up. She knew that it really had nothing to do with the new technology they were working on here. Baal was here because of her. She would be an invaluable host, providing knowledge about the Tau'ri and Tok'ra. The only thing she was thankful for was that they had no idea who her father was. They had no idea that through him she had access to the Ancient knowledge. And they never would, she pledged. She knew she could never let herself fall into their hands. She rashly thought of shooting herself if it came down to it, but that wouldn't accomplish anything, they could just put her in the damn sarcophagus. She couldn't very well zat herself three times either; it's kind of hard to shoot yourself twice more when you are already unconscious.

Haley began to pace around the lab, desperately trying to come up with a way to save these people from dying on her behalf. She wasn't worth that. During her second pass around the room, her eyes fell on the weapon Sam and Jacob had been working on. They hadn't managed to make it work yet, but isn't there an Earth saying about necessity being the mother of all invention? As Haley hunkered down in front of the weapon, she could only hope that she would have enough time to jerry-rig the weapon as a plan began to formulate in her mind.

* * *

"Baal! Over here, you great, ugly git!" 

The sound of Haley's voice brought Jack's head around so fast he thought he might have broken something. What the hell did she think she was doing? She was supposed to be under cover in the lab, not standing alone on top of a hill shouting insults at a Goa'uld.

Baal's head also whipped around at her voice, his eyes glowing and narrowing at her insults. Simultaneously, twenty Jaffa staff weapons aimed right at her chest. Jack swore under his breath, wondering at Haley's gall to insult the Goa'uld in such a manner. He almost swore again at the irony of that thought, of course she got it from him, when had he ever shown respect for snakeheads or held his tongue when he knew he should? He glanced over at Carter and saw the same carefully shuttered panic in her eyes that he felt.

To Haley's credit, she had not so much as flinched at the battalion of weapons pointed at her. She continued to stand tall, staring straight into the eyes of Baal.

"Something tells me you aren't going to shoot me. This party is for my benefit, isn't it?"

"Very astute, _Amduat_. You will still, however, have to be punished for insulting your God."

Haley snorted in a very unladylike manner.

Daniel turned to Teal'c. "What was that he called her?"

"_Amduat_, it means abomination, thing of the underworld."

Unwillingly, Jack was taken back to an earlier conversation with Haley. He had asked her where her name had come from.

"_Haley, is that what they called you?"_

_Her eyes had darkened and hardened ever so slightly at the question. She shook her head, "No, it is a name I gave myself, just like I gave names to all the others. The Goa'uld, they had their own names for us."_

She had refused to say more, but now he understood. They had called her an abomination; just like she claimed to be in his office when he told her he was her father. They had called her a dirty thing of the underworld and they had almost made her believe it. He wanted to kill them all for doing such a thing to his child.

Jack was brought quickly back to the surreal situation before him. They were surrounded by Jaffa and his daughter had decided to make this the moment that she took after his rash stupidity.

"This is how it's going to go down, Baal, so listen carefully." Haley's voice was strong and sure and he recognized the militaristic bravado in her stance. "You are going to allow every human, rebel Jaffa and Tok'ra to travel safely back through the gate to Earth. You will not harm a single person and you will not attempt to follow or send any of your Jaffa through the gate."

Baal laughed at Haley, "And why would I do such a thing?"

Haley slowly raised her left hand to her head. A small silver device was attached to her arm and Jack heard Sam's quick intake of breath as she recognized it. "Because if you don't, I will blow your precious experiment and all the information it contains to hell."

Baal still seemed unfazed. "Go ahead, _Amduat_. I will simply collect your body and bring you back to life, as is the power of a God." His pompous voice was really getting on Jack's nerves.

Haley simply raised one eyebrow (she must have been getting lessons from Teal'c) and calmly aimed her arm at a fallen Jaffa warrior a few paces away. She pressed an unseen trigger and the entire body, along with the rock it was leaning against, completely vaporized. All that remained of either was a small amount of dust that quickly blew away in the slight breeze. Haley placed the weapon against her own head again and gazed archly at Baal. "Can your sarcophagus fix that?"

Baal was beginning to look slightly abashed and his warriors were shifting their feet and staring in awe at the spot where their comrade once lay. "You would not take your own life," Baal claimed with not a small amount of uncertainty in his voice.

Haley laughed, the sound ringing out through the now silent battlefield. "Baal, I've been living with the Tau'ri for over six months and you know who my mother is. I _am_ Tau'ri! Do you really think that there is the slightest chance in hell that I wouldn't sacrifice myself to save my friends? My family? You should know that any of us would die a thousand times for such a trade."

Baal seemed to take this into consideration and Jack, despite himself, was proud of what she had said, claiming them as her people. He also knew that she spoke the truth; any one of them would make such a trade. Nevertheless, she was his daughter and there was no way he was going to let her make such a sacrifice. Once glance at Carter let him know that she was thinking the same thing.

"If I let them all go, you will willingly come with me."

Haley nodded once, her pact sealed. But Jack had had enough. "Wait just a damn minute-"

Haley cut him off, looking at him for the first time. "General O'Neill," the formality struck Jack like a weapon blast, "you will cooperate, one way or another." Her voice was harsh, but her eyes were pleading.

Jack didn't care, however. "No way, Haley. We don't leave people behind." Haley considered him for a long moment, before her eyes darted to Carter, who Jack could feel standing right beside him, silently offering her support.

Haley looked sadly at them both. "I'm sorry." Before either could ask her what she meant, Haley's right hand came out from behind her back, zat gun extended. There wasn't even time for surprise to cross their faces. They both crumpled to the ground, knocked out by the blast from their daughter's zat gun.

* * *

Haley paused to take a deep breath, trying not to see the looks of complete astonishment on Daniel and Teal'c's faces as they looked at their unconscious friends. Haley knew that there was no way Jack or Sam would let her do this, but there was no choice. She glanced up to see two Hat'ak class ships hovering above. They were hopelessly outnumbered and she knew this was the only way. She peaked at her watch, hoping no one would see the gesture, noting that she had 15 minutes to get everyone through the gate. Inside the building behind her, the computers had been vigilantly wiped, and the failsafe self-destruct carefully rigged. 

"I want every person through the gate, even if I have to zat every single one of you," Haley clarified for all the SGC personnel now standing looking at her like she had lost her mind.

"Baal, clear the way to the gate." Haley strode through the ranks of the warriors to the DHD, her left hand never wavering from her head. She quickly dialed the gate. She turned to make sure that the Jaffa were pulling away from the gate and that they had created a clear path. She then turned and punched in a code on her GDO. A small group of Jaffa stood at attention on either side of Haley, undoubtedly to keep her from making a last minute dash through the gate.

The Tok'ra, predictably, began running through the gate as soon as the wormhole engaged. Sacrifice was something they understood, something they had accepted as part of their life, part of the struggle against the Goa'uld. Most of them nodded at her as they passed, acknowledging her sacrifice and their gratitude. She may fall in this battle, but all of them would still be in the fight, ready to make their own sacrifice when the time came. Haley understood this as well as them and she admired the sentiment in her own way. She kept her face carefully neutral as Kalresh disappeared into the waiting pool.

The SGC personnel took a bit longer to move towards the gate, seeming a little lost now that their two superior officers had been rendered unconscious. "Daniel, Teal'c. Carry them through will you? Or do you both need to be zatted as well?"

Teal'c picked up Jack and paused to consider Haley. She knew he would understand the lack of options and the necessity of her sacrifice. He nodded to her, one of those gestures full of meaning and emotion if you knew what you were looking for. Haley nodded back and gave herself once last glance at the unconscious form of her father. She nearly laughed and cried at the same time, thinking of how pissed off he was going to be when he woke up. She hoped he didn't take it out on Teal'c. Haley refused to allow herself to think of it anymore, she needed to stay focused. She was well aware that she sat in a viper's nest and that any wrong step could destroy them all. She watched Teal'c disappear into the wormhole.

Daniel seemed less sure as he glanced from Sam's unconscious body to Haley. A young captain from SG-8 that Haley didn't know very well picked up Sam and began to carry her through the gate. He paused by Haley and gave her a look. _Are you sure?_ Haley nodded, head held high. She could see the admiration and respect in his eyes. It made her feel better than she would have liked to acknowledge, she finally felt that she had been able to offer something. The rest of SG-8 quickly followed, carrying a wounded Tok'ra and a wounded major. All that were now left was the uncertain Daniel and Haley's grandfather.

"Selmak." Jacob's head snapped up at his granddaughter's voice. He carefully walked over to her, keeping one eye on Baal and the Jaffa surrounding Haley. "You understand why this must be done."

"Yes," came the deep voice of Selmak. She would understand, as all the Tok'ra did. Haley hoped that she could convince Jacob.

"Kalresh cannot be trusted."

Selmak nodded back in understanding. The traitor would be dealt with.

Jacob struggled to the surface and was about to remind Haley of the danger she posed to all of them if she allowed herself to be taken, but as his eyes met hers, they had a moment of complete clarity and understanding. He realized with a jolt that she never intended to be captured. She had spoken truthfully; she _would_ die for them, taking her secrets with her.

Haley smiled slightly as his realizations flittered across his face. "Try to make them understand. And tell them…tell them thank you for teaching me what family is."

Jacob could see now, the fear beneath her calm exterior, but he knew that her resolve would hold fast. He smiled softly at her and offered her the greatest compliment he could think of. "You are so much like them. I am sorry we didn't have more time together."

Haley gave him a brief smile before stepping way from him.

"Haley," Daniel finally spoke, his voice strangled, "don't do this." His eyes pleaded with her, and she found she couldn't look at him.

"I'm sorry," she softly said.

Jacob turned around and grabbed Daniel, the last person left. Daniel began to struggle, but Jacob had him in a strong hold. He backed into the gate, never taking his eyes off of his granddaughter. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, Baal stepping closer to his prize, victory in his eyes. The last thing Jacob and Daniel saw, however, as the event horizon began to take apart their molecules, was Haley's left hand pulling on the trigger, a manic smile of triumph on her face. She had saved them all.

* * *

"Dial the damn gate!" boomed Jack's voice. The startled tech looked comically frightened of the raging commanding officer down in the gate room below. Before he could follow through with the order, however, a weak but clear voice came from the top of the ramp. 

"There is nothing to go back for, Jack."

Jack and Sam swung around to look back at the gate. Jacob stood at the base of the Stargate. Daniel was seated off to the side, leaning his back against the ramp, his head in his hands. His posture was one of utter defeat.

Jack and Sam were still shrugging off the effects of the zat blast and Jack was in a towering rage at what he deemed a betrayal by everyone on the planet. How could they have so easily abandoned Haley!

Sam, however, while suffering similar symptoms, knew her father well enough to read his posture, his expression. She looked up at him, dreading to ask, but needing to know. "Dad?"

Jacob's face clouded with sorrow, and he seemed to be having a hard time putting words together. His face dropped, and the voice that emerged from him was lower and symphonic. "There is nothing to go back for. She knew her value, she knew the threat she posed to all of us if she was captured. She did what any of us would do to protect the ones she loved."

Selmak's use of the past tense in the discussion of Haley was like a physical blow to Sam. She shook her head, "No…you can't know. She wouldn't…" But she knew, somewhere inside her, that Haley would.

"She did, Sam. I saw her pull the trigger. She was so proud. This time she got to manipulate Baal and use him for her own purposes. She made him a fool." Daniel's voice was hoarse and low, full of a tide of sorrow. He did not even glance up as he spoke, as if he found himself incapable of movement.

Sam and Jack stood frozen, many paces apart from each other. Sam was struggling to hold herself together, a soldier even in this moment. Teal'c gently touched her shoulder. "I am sorry, SamanthaCarter. Haley was a brave and inspiring woman."

Sam turned to Teal'c blindly. "She was just a child…" her voice broke and her face crumpled as grief overwhelmed her. Teal'c gathered her in his arms and held her tight. Jacob came down to similarly commiserate with his daughter. Sam lifted her head from Teal'c's shoulder to look for Jack. Their daughter…dead. But all she saw was empty space. Jack was gone.


	9. The Nature of Grief

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: The Nature of Grief  
Author: Annerb  
Rating: minor language  
Summary: Teal'c observes his friends' mourning  
Classifications: Series, S/J Angst, Drama  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: This is a tiny little intermission of sorts, focusing on everyone's reactions from Teal'c's point of view. Delilah W correctly pointed out that poor Teal'c has been getting a bit of a short shrift, so, here we go. Sorry I made so many of you angry with the last chapter! I appreciate you sticking with me; I promise we have a long distance to cover still. :) Thanks to Triptnx and Montage!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

* * *

Part 9: The Nature of Grief 

Though Teal'c had lived among the Tau'ri for more than eight years, he still found many of their ways mystifying. He didn't understand how the political system could be so full of men with no concept of honor. He didn't understand how so many humans could have so much, while others lay dying from lack. He didn't comprehend why an activity that consists of out of shape men hitting round objects with a stick could be so important to an entire nation of people. And what exactly, really, was the purpose of a yo-yo?

Not that there weren't things that Teal'c appreciated about the Tau'ri. He took great pleasure in movies, the great variety of foods, jello wrestling and most of all, the great freedoms they all enjoyed. He had learned much about the value of female warriors and the idea of free will. He knew that he was a better person for having been influenced by great Earth-thinkers in his vast reading. But one thing that he would never truly comprehend was the human reaction to loss.

When it appeared that Daniel had died (the first time, or second if you count his first trip to Abydos), Teal'c had attended his 'wake' at Jack's house. While Teal'c's inclination had been to sequester himself away in a state of Kelnorim to ruminate on his lost friend while abstaining from any form of nourishment, his friends had convinced him that the 'wake' was more appropriate. At this gathering, all of the acquaintances of Daniel shared stories about the man, often humorous in nature. It felt strange to Teal'c to laugh at such a time. But he knew the humans must not have truly meant any disrespect.

When Daniel actually died, or rather ascended, there had been no wake. But Sam had seemed to feel a deep need to talk about their fallen friend. Jack, on the other hand, had been less than receptive towards Sam's wishes. Instead, she went to Teal'c and he listened quietly as she shared her feelings and memories. Teal'c observed that she did seem slightly more at ease after their discussion.

Teal'c had also been witness to Jack's preferred form of mourning. Teal'c had had to carry an inert Jack over his shoulder after he had overindulged in an Earth drink called 'Jack Daniels.' The name of the beverage had seemed quite amusing to Jack before he lost consciousness. Teal'c could never quite establish whether or not inebriety helped with a mourner's sense of loss.

Each of them had been feared dead at some point, leaving the rest behind to deal with their feelings of loss and abandonment. And each reacted in a completely unique way. But with the death of Haley, Teal'c was very unsure how his friends would react. He watched them closely in the time following Baal's surprise attack, silently bewildered.

It was less than twenty-four hours after the death of Haley that Jack demanded to go back to PX2-204. They all knew there would be no body to collect, but it was almost as if Jack would not let himself believe what had happened until he saw it for himself. MALP telemetry revealed what they all expected, dashing secret hopes. Where the compound had once stood, a great crater now resided. The self-destruct had wiped away everything, leaving behind nothing but rubble and the broken bodies of Jaffa. Teal'c felt an uneasy mixture of sorrow for his fallen, enslaved brothers and pride that Haley had managed to take out so many enemies with her. She would always be known as a hero among the rebel Jaffa.

Jack had hoarsely ordered the wormhole shut down and scheduled SG-6 to retrieve the MALP. He then withdrew into his office without a backward glance. Sam followed his retreating form with haunted eyes, but he had not so much as spoken a word to any of them since their return.

Teal'c worried about both of them, knowing that there was no greater loss than the loss of a child. He stood silent vigil near Sam's lab and so he was witness to the great strain between the grieving parents. Standing in the hall, Teal'c could hear the sound of weeping coming from her lab. After a while, Jack walked down the hall and was struck motionless at the sound of her sobs. He reached one hand out as if to open the door, but pulled back, an impressive curse falling from his lips. His eyes met Teal'c's and he shook his head before quickly disappearing the opposite direction down the hall. Teal'c watched his friend's retreating back for a moment before entering Sam's lab himself.

A small memorial was held on a tree-covered hill outside of the Mountain. Many of the base personnel were there, including Siler, Walter and even Dr. Malek. Sam and Daniel stood close to one another, hands clasped in support. Teal'c observed that Jack stood slightly apart from the rest, seemingly wearing his dress uniform as if it were a shield. His eyes were unreadable beneath sunglasses. Teal'c saw not so much as a single tear fall from the man.

Daniel delivered Haley's eulogy, extolling her virtues and commending her for saving the lives of countless people. He also spoke of her boundless joy in the simplest of things and her ability to still see good in people even though she had been witness to the worst in her woefully short life. Teal'c could feel Sam sway slightly into him as Daniel spoke. He put a strong hand on her arm and she leaned gratefully into him.

Two days later, Teal'c was on his way to see Jack when he heard raised voices coming from the General's office. He paused, trying to decide if he should offer help or if he should retreat to offer the discussants privacy. The decision was taken from his hands, though, when he was nearly knocked down by Sam and she blindly slammed out of the office. Teal'c reached out to steady Sam.

"Sorry, Teal'c," she said distractedly, her mind still obviously on something else.

Teal'c could see that she was nobly trying to hold back tears. "Is anything amiss, Colonel Carter?"

Sam let out a mangled laugh and shook her head. "Nothing that you can fix, Teal'c." She glanced back at the closed door behind her. "We can get through this," she said with steely determination. "We have to."

Teal'c valiantly hoped that she was right.

Whatever optimism Sam might have retained was roughly dashed the next day. Jack had abruptly taken a month of leave, not bothering to tell anyone where he was going. General Hammond had agreed to fill in for his friend. Hammond had been the one to tell a shell-shocked Sam about Jack's disappearance. As much as Teal'c admired Jack and thought of him as a brother, he could not help but condemn his actions as that of a coward.

Sam haunted the halls of the SGC, only returning to her home when given a direct order by General Hammond. The soldier in her obeyed the order, even as the woman in her quelled at the thought of her empty home and its quiet, lifeless spaces. Daniel and Teal'c took turns staying with her and holding her as she wept.

Teal'c observed that Daniel was also deeply mourning the loss of Haley. Teal'c found him in her room one day, staring at her things. "I can't believe that she's really gone, Teal'c," he had said softly, picking up a book that was still propped open, patiently waiting for a woman that would never get to finish it.

"Jack should be here," Daniel said after a long stretch of silence.

"Indeed," Teal'c replied softly.

"I just hope he is okay; stupid, stubborn bastard that he is."

"You do not think that he would harm himself, do you, Daniel Jackson?"

"I don't know, Teal'c. I just don't know," he replied, his voice deeply troubled.

Jack had been gone two weeks when Sam came out of her room one morning, fully dressed with her face carefully scrubbed. "I'm ready," she declared softly to Daniel and Teal'c.

"Ready for what, Sam?" Daniel inquired carefully.

"Ready to live again."

Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow at her.

"I loved Haley more than I ever thought possible. There will always be a huge hole in me where she used to be, but I know…I just know that if she were here she would be yelling at me. She would tell me stop feeling sorry for myself and get back to living, get back to saving people and being thankful for every day that I have."

"And she would be right," Daniel added softly.

Teal'c nodded, knowing that there was wisdom in these words.

"Let's go kick some Goa'uld ass," Sam said with a small smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes, but it was a start.

Jack reappeared at the Mountain two weeks later and resumed his duties. He seemed to be physically well and Teal'c could sense Daniel's relief. Jack once again held meetings with SG-1 and even occasionally ate lunches with them, but it was clear that he was not the same man that had left the Mountain weeks before. He still cracked inane jokes and constantly fiddled with things, but he absolutely refused to even hear Haley's name, let alone discuss her. He also carefully avoided ever being alone with Sam.

Teal'c couldn't help but think that Jack was acting in a disgraceful manner. Teal'c may not understand the Tau'ri ways of mourning, but he knew that pretending Haley had never existed was an affront to her honor and her noble sacrifice. And then Teal'c would catch a glimpse of something in Jack's eyes when he thought no one was paying attention, and he knew with vast certainty that his friend was suffering greatly. Teal'c would feel his anger at his friend retreat, leaving only a hope that one day Jack would let himself actually mourn, any way he could.


	10. 91 Days

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: 91 Days  
Author: Annerb  
Rating: language, violence  
Summary: Some old friends ask SG-1 for help.  
Classifications: Series, S/J Angst, Drama, Action  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Disclaimer The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: What could possibly be worse than losing a daughter and being estranged from the one person who should understand you? How about dredging up some old memories that you would rather not remember? Man…I'm so mean to these poor guys. Montage and Triptnx: Many thanks!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

_**Part 10: 91 Days**_

Sunlight played in gentle patterns across the ceiling, reminding Sam that it was well past time for her to raise from bed. And yet, she remained; watching the twinkling, morphing shapes as a gentle breeze caused the leaves outside her window to flutter. She gazed at them, for once not analyzing the principles behind the reflections, but rather indulging in a moment of pure whimsy.

For the last few weeks, every day had been slightly easier than the one before; but today, Sam felt the old heaviness returning to her limbs. She wanted to pull the covers over her head and block the world out. Just for today, she told herself. She wanted to wake up to find that it was already tomorrow. But it was a weakness that part of her just couldn't allow. Today is just like any other, she reminded herself.

But today was not just like any other. Today marked a dubious milestone that loomed over everything: three months. Three months since she last saw her daughter smile. Three months since she had seen the stubborn determination in Haley's face, communicating that she would never let others suffer on her behalf. Three months since she altruistically offered her life up for the 'greater good,' whatever that was.

Sam didn't know why three months was so much more difficult than two months had been, or 56.3 days. They were all just numbers after all. A human invention to help comprehend the passage of time as light flowed endlessly from one edge of the universe to the other. It's not even like it was a day associated with a special holiday. It wasn't Christmas, Mother's Day or even Haley's birthday.

Sam closed her eyes at the thought of Haley's birthday. She didn't technically have one other than the day she was ripped from her mother's womb, which didn't seem like a good thing to celebrate every year. Jack had been the one to insist that she have one. 'No daughter of mine is going to miss out on a chance to be the center of attention once a year,' Jack had declared. He had gone on to announce that the coming Saturday was as good a date as any. Plus, he'd said, he always thought Haley seemed like a bit of a Pisces, earning a complete look of disbelief from Daniel that Jack would know, or even believe in, such things.

Jack and Sam had just recently reached a sort of truce and so they spent the whole week together planning a big party for Haley, just like real parents. Jack had insisted on all of the trimmings ('After all, we have 24 birthdays to make up for!'). He had been adamant that Chuck E. Cheese's was a must; every kid had to eat cheap pizza and roll around in a pit full of plastic balls at least once in their life. Sam had some serious doubts that the whole event wouldn't be too childish, but Jack's enthusiasm had been difficult to fight.

In the end, Jack had been right. Haley's eyes had lit up at the gaudy interior and she had laughed hopelessly hard at the mechanical puppet band. They all stuffed themselves with cardboard-like pizza and then instituted war-games in the play structure. Seeing Teal'c covered up to his neck in multi-colored balls with a patiently exasperated expression on his face was something Sam would never forget. Daniel had proved to be an absolute master at skeet ball and managed to win an utterly atrocious purple elephant for Haley.

Haley had loved every moment. When she had wished Sam an exhausted goodnight later that evening, Haley had looked up at her, still clutching the horrible stuffed animal and said, her eyes wide with amazement, "People get to do this every year?"

She never got a second birthday party. That ridiculous elephant still sat in Haley's room, collecting dust. Three months… Today shouldn't be any harder than any other. It wasn't logical. And yet, Sam remained, staring at the splaying light, her heart desperately yearning for the sound of thumping water pipes or the smell of waffles that would never come. One day, she told herself, one day for whimsy and hiding. Tomorrow is soon enough for reality, and then she pulled the covers over her head.

* * *

'Three months and one day,' Daniel thought as he watched Sam furtively from across the briefing table. He had noticed her strategic absence from the base yesterday, but had decided to allow her some space. He was glad to see her back today, looking slightly pale, but well enough otherwise. 

Daniel had also felt a strange compulsion to commemorate yesterday in some fashion. He had sat on the grassy knoll where he delivered Haley's eulogy late in the afternoon, doing nothing more than watching the clouds float by and thinking of Haley. Even Teal'c had partaken in a ritual kel'no'reem session dedicated to the remembrance of fallen warriors.

Only Jack had continued on as if the day had meant nothing. Daniel was still torn between wanting to kick his friend's ass and feeling sorry for him. When the subject of today's briefing was finally broached, however, Daniel began to lean quite a bit towards the former.

"We're going to have to put off your trip to P6T-953 for a bit. A situation has come up that requires our attention," Jack said as he passed out folders around the table.

Daniel's eyebrow shot up, "_Our_ attention, Jack?"

Jack nodded briefly, "Yeah, I think it would be better if I came along for this one."

Daniel was about to ask why when his eye was caught by the planet designation on the folder in front of him. P5C-768. Daniel was sure this had to be some sort of a joke. "Edora?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, Daniel," Jack said warningly. "Early this morning Walter registered an impact against the iris. It matched the signature from those boxes you're always handing out."

"A Sagan box? And it came from Edora?"

Jack just nodded and Daniel really wondered how many more unpleasant things could possibly be dragged up.

"Any idea of what we might be running into, sir?" Sam asked without looking up from the folder.

As Jack and Sam discussed recent intelligence reports and Goa'uld activity in the area, Daniel couldn't help but stare at Sam. She was in consummate soldier mode, asking all the proper questions for a thorough assessment of the situation into which she would be taking her team. Looking at her, or hearing her tone, one would think this was just any other planet, or that the estranged-father-of-her-dead-child was not, in fact, accompanying them on this mission to a planet that had once held him hostage for three months in the arms of another woman.

Daniel knew that compartmentalizing feelings was essential to being an effective soldier, but this was getting a little ridiculous. He wasn't sure what, exactly, he was expecting form her, just anything other than the cool indifference that she was radiating at this moment. She was always like this on base these days. Professional. Detached.

When she was off-base with just him or Teal'c she would smile and laugh, almost be her old self, but here she was always a soldier to the core. She did her job and did it well, but some of her joy seemed to have bled away. Daniel suspected that she wasn't even aware of doing so, which was even more worrisome.

And now they all got to go to Edora together. Fate had a real weird sense of humor sometimes.

* * *

When they stepped through the gate, the first thing they saw was a young boy standing near the MALP. The second he saw SG-1 come through, he took off at a run, calling out as he went. "They're here, they're here! The off-worlders have come!" 

"Wow, our very own Paul Revere," Jack noted wryly.

Less than ten minutes later a small group of villagers came charging up the path. One young woman broke off from the rest and addressed them.

"Welcome. We thank you for coming so quickly."

Daniel smiled. "How can we help?"

"We are truly sorry to bother you with this, but we knew not what else to do. We do not know how to travel among the stars as you do."

"It's okay; just tell us what has happened."

"Two boys have gone missing. And this one," she gestured at the boy who they had seen running from the gate, "Tomas, says he saw the older boys playing with the symbols." She gestured towards the DHD. "The children have been warned and told never to touch the gate to the stars…"

"Are you saying that you think the boys went through the Stargate?" Daniel asked.

"Yes," said another woman who had just appeared up the path. It was Laira.

Daniel could feel Sam stiffen ever so slightly beside him as they all turned to regard the woman. Five years had not changed her much. But there was one major change, she held a small child in her arms.

"Laira," Jack said, his voice carefully neutral.

She smiled and said, "It is good to see all of you again. Garan was sure that you would come to help us. He has told endless stories about you to little Valen here," she said, nodding to the child in her arms, who was now adamantly squirming. A young woman silently appeared at her side and took the child from her. "Thank you, daughter. Your child grows heavier every day!" She turned back to SG-1, "You remember Naytha?"

Naytha smiled shyly at them and nodded before retreating back to the village.

"He is a beautiful child."

Daniel turned to Sam in disbelief, to find her looking at Laira. Laira smiled at Sam. "Yes, Naytha has truly blessed us." She then reached into her apron and pulled out a rough piece of parchment, which she handed to Sam.

"A gate address," Sam said in surprise. Daniel looked over her shoulder and saw that seven coarse symbols had been scratched onto the paper.

Laira nodded. "These are the symbols Tomas says the boys pushed before disappearing into the standing water."

"Carter," Jack finally spoke up, "do you recognize the address?"

"No, sir, not off the top of my head. I'll need to look it up in the database back at the SGC."

Jack nodded. "Alright. Daniel, go with Carter and see what you can find out about this planet. Then you can gather the proper equipment and meet us back here."

Sam nodded and immediately turned to dial the gate, her mind already immersed in the problem at hand.

"Radio check in thirty minutes," Jack called after her retreating back.

Daniel watched Jack as Sam dialed up the gate. Laira offered Jack and Teal'c some refreshments, but Jack just shook his head and squatted down next to the MALP. Daniel couldn't imagine what he was doing to it, other than using it as an excuse to ignore people. Teal'c took some water from a village woman with a nod, gracious as always. Daniel sighed and stepped up to follow Sam back to the SGC. Jack seemed to be treating Laira with the same indifference he treated everyone else with these days.

Once on the other side, it didn't take Sam long to track down the planet that the boys had wandered off to. There was only a slight delay as Daniel convinced Walter that everything was okay and that, yes, the General would certainly be back for tomorrow's video briefing with the President. Yes, Daniel would remind him again.

Daniel bit back a sigh and turned to watch Sam updating Jack through the MALP.

Sam was already mid-way through her report. "It's one of the planets abandoned after the death of Chronos, sir. We don't have any intelligence more recent than six months ago, though. With the Goa'uld's recent moves to reacquire previously abandoned planets…"

"So you're basically telling me that we might be walking into a Goa'uld party, right, Colonel?" Jack interrupted, his face leaning into the video camera on the other side.

"Yes, sir," Sam replied steadily.

Jack sighed. "Alright, why don't you round up the necessary supplies and tell SG-8 to get geared up so they can join us for a little rescue operation."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Soft footsteps let Jack know that Laira had followed him to his 'thinking spot' as she had always called it. This place, right by the edge of the stream, always seemed to draw him. So he really wasn't surprised to find himself standing there as he waited for equipment and manpower to be sent through the gate from the SGC. It seemed that five years wasn't nearly long enough to erase old habits, either of theirs. 

"You know, when you left, I mourned. I gave you one hundred days," Laira said as she came up behind him.

Jack felt guilt rising in his throat, but when he opened his mouth to apologize, she just waved it away.

"I do not say this to make you feel bad, Jack. Quite the contrary. I want you to know that a hundred and one days after you left I met Horace, my husband. It was as if our souls touched. He has blessed me, in so many ways. So, it seems to me, that things always happen for a reason. No matter how hurtful they may seem at the time."

Jack didn't reply, instead he leaned over and began collecting stones.

Laira watched him complete the familiar task. So many days they had stood together like this. "I only tell this to you in the hopes that it may lighten your burden. I see it in you, a sort of darkness pressing into you, just like when you were here before and had lost your whole world."

"And you think that whatever I am suffering has happened for a greater reason?" Jack asked in a harsher voice than he'd intended.

Laira did not seem to take offense. Instead, she continued in that soft voice of hers that always held such simple wisdom. "I know not of your loss. I can only offer what my own have taught me."

Jack nodded his head and picked up another handful of stones. "I don't suppose that whole hundred days thing works when it's your child, does it," Jack finally said quietly, surprising himself.

Laira looked out over the water for a while before replying. "I don't know, Jack. That is perhaps a wound that is never meant to heal."

Jack nodded. "I thought as much. But I was still kind of hoping." He threw a rock and watched it skim across the calm water of the creek. "Today is 91 days."

Laira raised one hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she watched the progress of two boys running across the bridge. "Tell me of the child."

Jack felt his throat clench. "I can't…I-"

"Let me ask you this," Laira interrupted. "If you had a choice, would you have rather never known the child? Would you wipe all knowledge from your memory if you could?"

Jack wanted to say yes. He so desperately wanted to say yes, but instead, for the first time in weeks, he let his mind wander gently over his memories. Her sparkling eyes, so like Sam's. Her determined glare as she stood up to a room full of stuck-up PhDs. The sound of her laughter and the way she would roll her eyes at him when he teased her. A tightness began to build in his gut, clenching at his heart. Did he really wish that he had never known her? Was he selfish enough to wish that she had never lived, just so that he wouldn't have to suffer this pain?

"Damn it," he swore harshly. He threw the handful of pebbles roughly into the stream, watching them sink into the murky depths. "I don't know how to do this, Laira."

"One foot in front of the other, Jack," she said plainly, putting a hand on his arm. "Now, tell me the child's name."

Jack met Laira's eyes for the first time, bracing himself for pity, but all he saw was understanding and calm support. "Haley," he said softly, giving voice to her name for the first time in 91 days. The clenching in his stomach released, just a little bit, but it was a start.

* * *

Teal'c stood some distance away in the shadow of a house, his eyes never leaving Jack. He could see how the tension slowly left Jack as he spoke to the woman. Jack seemed to be involved in sharing a story and Laira's soft laughter reached Teal'c across the great distance. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Teal'c detected movement. He turned to find Sam watching the scene on the bank of the stream with wide eyes. Laira laughed again at something Jack said and rested her head gently against his shoulder.

"Colonel Carter," Teal'c said softly.

She jumped at the sound of his voice. "Teal'c," she said calmly, as if the scene before her did not cause her any distress. "Could you tell General O'Neill that the supplies from the SGC have been sent through?"

Teal'c nodded solemnly, noticing how Sam's eyes kept darting back to the stream.

"I'm going to…I'll be at the Stargate," she mumbled before fleeing.

Teal'c sighed, torn between compassion for Sam and relief that it seemed O'Neill had finally found someone who could help him properly mourn his loss. He silently wondered why things always had to be so difficult for his friends.

* * *

The villagers came to see them off, wishing them a speedy journey and thanking them for trying to bring their loved ones home. Sam checked the supplies she had brought through for the fourth time, trying to ignore the way Daniel's eyes followed her every movement. She wasn't really sure what he expected of her. Did he think she was going to break down and cry? Or maybe get into a spectacularly girly cat-fight with a woman who had once held Jack O'Neill's heart? Sam wanted to roll her eyes and let out a very un-Colonel-ish 'Puh-lease.' She did neither. 

Instead, she watched as Jack and Laira walked up the path together, reminding herself that it didn't matter. Reaching the crowd, Laira walked over to stand by a tall, lanky man who treated her to a warm, intimate smile. Laira slipped her hand into his with ease. Sam felt something inside of her inexplicably relax. And then she cursed herself a fool.

Jack spoke briefly to the commander of SG-8 before gesturing for Daniel to dial the gate up. He then walked over Laira and took both of her hands. He leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek, saying "Thanks, Laira."

She simply nodded and smiled in return.

Jack then turned to the man standing at her side and shook his hand. "You're a lucky man, Horace."

Horace beamed in response and wrapped one arm around Laira, who leaned appreciatively into his side.

"We'll bring them back," Jack promised.

Laira nodded again and called after him. "Be safe."

Jack turned away from Laira and his eyes met Sam's. He held her gaze for what seemed like an eternity. She couldn't remember the last time he had so much as looked at her if he wasn't ordering her to do something. She felt her head tip slightly to one side, questioning, easily slipping back into their familiar, unspoken language. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly in silent acknowledgement of her.

It was only in that moment that Sam could clearly see that she had been doubly mourning, not just the loss of Haley, but the loss of Jack as well. She had tried to ignore how much his withdrawal had hurt. She knew him well enough to see that something had changed today. She didn't have time to ruminate on what that might be, though, because in the next instant Jack broke eye contact to pull on his trusty cap. When he looked up again, his expression was once again unreadable, his attention focused on the Stargate.

Sam let out a breath she hadn't been aware of holding and quickly dropped her eyes to her weapon, ostensibly adjusting the strap. She chanced a glance at Daniel, sure that he would have picked up on the silent communication, but he seemed blissfully unaware. Jack signaled for SG-8 to take point through the gate and Sam pushed everything but the mission from her mind. It was time to bring those boys home.

* * *

The area around the gate on the other side was still empty of life, as revealed by the MALP. Jack ordered SG-8 to hold the gate while they scouted the surrounding area. He gestured for Sam and Daniel to head in one direction before slipping into the forest with Teal'c in another direction.

Forty-five minutes later they were all crouching together along a ridgeline overlooking a spreading valley below. The ridge extended on three sides of the valley and in the distance the large clearing gave way to a dense forest. An elegant tent stood at the center of the open space, two Jaffa standing at attention near the entrance.

Twenty or more Jaffa could be clearly seen milling around smaller tents and campfires some distance away. On the closer edge of the valley, six more Jaffa lounged near a small enclosure that held about fifteen humans. Through his binoculars, Jack could just make out the form of two small boys huddled together.

Jack sighed. "Of all the planets to pick, those boys had to wander here." He passed his binoculars to Teal'c.

"A harvest," Teal'c posited. "They are collecting humans as possible hosts."

"I guess they decided that eating each other wasn't good for the Goa'uld cause," Daniel observed with a snort of disgust.

"Their numbers have dwindled amazingly these last few years, they must be trying to build themselves up again," Sam offered.

"Yeah, well, they're out of luck today. No one is getting 'harvested,'" Jack said.

Sam looked sideways at him, "Sir, we are a little out-numbered."

"We'll wait for the cover of darkness and do it quietly."

Daniel let out a soft sound of disbelief.

Jack glared at him. "What? I can do quiet when I have to."

"Any idea who it is?" Sam asked, trying to change the subject.

Daniel, still looking through his binoculars, shook his head. "The Jaffa are too far away to see their marks."

"Well, I'm not picky," Jack said. "Seen one Goa'uld, seem 'em all, I always say."

Teal'c raised one eyebrow, but did not comment.

"Carter, how many hours until dark, do you think?"

"I'd say about three and a half, sir."

"Okay." Jack picked up a stick and began drawing in the dirt. "This is what we're gonna do…"

* * *

When the signal finally came, Sam could feel Daniel following closely behind her, under the cover of dark. The moon still had not risen and they had to walk carefully to avoid unseen obstacles. They were in charge of taking out the three northern guards. Teal'c and Jack were simultaneously approaching the south. SG-8 remained hidden in the ridge brush, ready to escort the prisoners to the 'gate, and, if need be, lay down cover fire. Plan A was to quietly take out the guards and herd the prisoners back to Edora. Plan B, which was to be implemented if the break-out did not go unnoticed, was to 'run like hell and not get caught,' as Jack had so eloquently put it. 

Plan A seemed to be moving right along when the first inevitable hitch happened. The prisoners had been mercifully quiet, watching the strangers silently dispatching their guard with wide eyes. They created a hole in the ridge side of the enclosure away from the Goa'uld. The prisoners began filing out, following Daniel towards the waiting SG-8. They were down to the last few people when a young woman stepped out, took one look at Teal'c and let out a blood curdling scream.

Jack zatted the woman without hesitation, catching her body as it fell. They all paused for a moment, holding their breath to see if anyone had heard her scream. For a split second, everything seemed blissfully quiet. But then harsh voices in the distance and the impact of staff blasts on the enclosure shattered that illusion.

"So much for Plan A," Jack grumbled as Teal'c threw the unconscious woman over his shoulder. Jack grabbed the two Edoran boys by the neck of their shirts and quickly dragged them up the hill.

"Time for Plan B. Rogers, you and your team get these people through the gate. We'll cover your six."

SG-8's commander nodded once and took the woman from Teal'c. "We'll hold the gate for you, sir."

"Negative. You will go through as soon as you reach it. We'll be right behind you."

Rogers looked like he was going to argue, but by this point the Jaffa had reached the empty enclosure below.

"Go!" Jack snapped, not bothering to see if his order was followed as he was already busy holding off the rather impressive group of Jaffa below.

After giving SG-8 as much of a head start as they could, they pulled back from the ridge and retreated to the cover of a small copse of trees. When a good number of Jaffa were stumbling down the hill, Jack turned to Sam and nodded once. Sam covered her head and pressed a detonator that was ready and waiting in her hand. Half a dozen Jaffa were taken out by awaiting claymores.

In the ensuing chaos, SG-1 slipped further back into the woods, sprinting towards the gate. They had just reached the clearing surrounding the gate when a staff blast impacted a tree right by Daniel's head. Jack motioned for them to all take cover and hold off the approaching troops to make sure that SG-8 and the prisoners managed to get through the gate.

Jack turned back briefly during a short break in enemy fire to see SG-8 disappear into the wormhole with the last of the prisoners. He was signaling for the rest of them to fall back to the gate when a round metallic ball rolled to a stop at his feet.

"Oh, crap," was all Jack managed to say before screeching white light knocked him unconscious.


	11. What Once Was Lost

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: What Once was Lost…  
Author: Annerb  
Rating: R minor language, violence, death  
Summary: Jack and SG-1 find something in the last place they expected  
Classifications: Series, Drama, Action  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
DisclaimerThe characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: This one has quite a bit more violence than the earlier parts, but is it really my fault that those Goa'uld are such nasty gits? Just be prepared for some blood, violence and general nastiness. Montage and Triptnx: you are goddesses among false goddesses…:)

Feedback: Always appreciated!

_**Part 11: What Once Was Lost…**_

Jack lay on his back staring into complete darkness. He could hear the soft breathing of Sam right next to him. He reminded himself not to reach out and shake her awake. He didn't want another bite for his troubles. Instead, he continued to catalog his surroundings. Just from the feel of the floor underneath him, the slightly stale metallic taste of the air and the constant soft humming sound, Jack knew exactly where he was. He had, after all, spent enough time in Goa'uld holding cells to know one like the back of his hand.

As his sight slowly came back, he was able to visually confirm his supposition. He could hear the others beginning to stir. "Have I mentioned lately how much I miss this?" Jack said acerbically to no one in particular.

"Come on, Jack," Daniel answered gamely from a few feet away, "you can't tell me that this isn't more fun than choosing the type of potatoes to serve in the mess this week."

Jack just snorted before sitting up and assessing what supplies he still had on his person. Weapon: gone. Pack: gone. Secretly stashed knife: gone. Then he looked down at his wrist and cursed. Daniel looked over in askance and Jack grumbled, "Why do they always take the watches?"

"What?" asked Daniel, giving Jack his you-do-know-you-sound-crazy look.

Jack just shook his head and got up to pace around the room. "So we basically have no idea which snake has us?"

"We do not, O'Neill. I have seen no Jaffa since we arrived here."

"Well, I'm sure we won't have long to wait, these guys love to do the bow-at-my-feet, I-am-your-god bit."

"My favorite part," Sam said, finally deciding to join the conversation. Jack could see that she was also taking inventory to spot if the Jaffa may have missed anything that could be useful. Feeling his eyes on her, she looked up and shook her head. Jack noted that they took her watch, too. Damn Goa'uld.

At that point, the sound of pounding feet could be heard in the hallway outside. "Not big on stealth, are they," Jack quipped. The approaching Jaffa were marked with tattoos that Jack did not recognize, though they looked like two crossed arrows. He didn't have time to ask if Daniel recognized them, because their guards roughly manacled their hands in front of them and then herded them out of the cell.

* * *

They were dragged into the peltak of the mothership. It was decorated in the same overstated gaudiness that was typical of the Goa'uld. A marble throne sat atop a raised dais and lounging regally in it was their Goa'uld host. She wore long soft folds of dark red silk and her face and hair were heavily veiled with gold-accented cloth. Darkly kohled eyes lazily inspected long fingernails.

"Jaffa!" called the symphonic voice of the Goa'uld accompanied by an imperious wave of her hand.

Their Jaffa guards responded to the call by knocking them in back of the legs, forcing them roughly to their knees.

"Kneel before your goddess, the glorious Anat," intoned the First Prime.

Jack groaned quietly at the pain in his knee and squinted over at Daniel. "Anat?" he questioned.

"Uh…sister of Baal, Babylonian goddess of war and sex," Daniel supplied.

"Lovely."

"Enough!" Anat rose to her feet, staring down at the prisoners at her feet. "Hold your tongues, or I will have them removed." Her tone was low and haughty, and left them with no doubt that should would follow through with the threat if provoked further.

Daniel was relieved to find that Jack actually _was_ capable of keeping his mouth shut when he had to, though he could tell he was struggling to hold back his typical smart ass remarks that he reserved especially for pompous Goa'ulds.

Anat languidly strolled past her prisoners, the rich silk of her gown gently whispering against the floor with the sway of her hips. When she reached her First Prime she tenderly touched his face. The huge man seemed to tremble at the contact, too afraid to even meet her gaze. "You have done well for me today," she purred. "You will be richly rewarded."

The man said nothing, but inclined his head as he stepped back, pure devotion shining from his eyes. It was almost more than Jack could handle.

Anat then turned her attention back to her 'guests.' "You have most inconvenienced me by interrupting my harvest. But I must admit that I find you a worthwhile trade for those sniveling peasants. Baal will be greatly pleased when I present you to him."

She slowly walked back down the line and stopped before Jack. She hooked one long fingernail under his chin and forced him to look up at her. "General O'Neill. I believe my brother has a special place in his heart for you. He will greatly enjoy finishing what he started last time you were his guest."

Jack fought the rising bile that always accompanied reminders of his torture at the hands of Baal, even as he refused to drop his eyes from her face.

Stepping past Jack, Anat moved to observe Teal'c. "Ah, the _sholva_. There are many who would give a great deal to have you to make an example of what happens when you betray your God. I stand to gain much."

Teal'c remained as impassive as ever. Though, if possible, he seemed to be silently correcting her with his eyes, _false _god.

Anat moved past Teal'c and took a long moment to let her eyes travel slowly over Daniel, a disturbingly predatory gleam in her eyes. "Daniel Jackson. You have been a thorn in the side of many a Goa'uld. I think it would be a shame to waste such a specimen to torture and death, however. You will make a fine host. Perhaps Enki would consider it. You could provide us with much information as well as…other important services."

Daniel's face turned slightly ashen as if he was fighting to tamp down nausea at her insinuations. None of them were eager to see a repeat of their time with Hathor.

Anat finally reached the end of the row and stopped before Sam. Sam looked defiantly up at the Goa'uld, daring her to say or do her worst. Her silent message seemed to amuse Anat. "Samantha," she drawled intimately. "I must say that this is a pleasure. You, I will keep for myself. And when I tire of you, it will only be fitting that you will die at the hands of the one you gave life."

Anat laughed softly at the sharp intake of breath from Sam. Throwing all caution to the wind, but needing to know at any cost, Sam demanded, "Who are you?"

Anat's eyes flashed as she grabbed Sam by the neck and held her aloft. "Don't you recognize me, Mommy?" she asked in a sickeningly sweet voice as she unhooked her veil with her free hand. All color left Sam's face as she hung mere inches from a monster that wore her daughter's face.

* * *

After Anat's revelation, they were all taken to a familiar cell to await the arrival of Baal. Sam was struck silent at seeing Haley's face with someone else's eyes staring back at her. And her face! There had been a rough scar covering the left part of her neck and cheek, most likely what the vain Goa'uld had been trying to hide with the veil. How was she still alive? Daniel and Jacob had seen her die. Hadn't they?

But it was now undeniable. Haley hadn't died. She had been taken by Baal and made a host. And they had once again abandoned her to the tender mercies of the Goa'uld.

Jack, meanwhile, had been pacing around the cell. He was the one to finally break the horrified silence that hung in the cell. "She didn't know who I was."

His statement caused them all to look up from their personal ruminations and stare at him. It seemed a strange thing to fixate on, considering everything that had happened in the last five minutes. At first, they thought that he was upset at his lack of reception from his daughter, but then the meaning began to sink in.

"She didn't know who you were," Daniel quietly repeated. "How could she not? Anat should know everything Haley knows."

"Not if Haley is fighting her," Jack said firmly.

"Jack, that doesn't necessarily mean that…"

"No, he's right," Sam finally spoke up. "If Haley has been able to hide who her father was from Anat, who knows what else she is holding back?"

"Haley has been here for months. It is difficult to believe that she could resist Anat that long successfully," Teal'c said.

"Then why haven't we seen major Goa'uld attacks? Why haven't Tok'ra agents everywhere been compromised? If they truly had access to everything Haley knows, consciously and subconsciously, we would have known somehow," argued Sam.

Jack nodded his head, knowing that Sam was right. Haley was strong. She was…alive. "Dr. Warner always was saying that she had strange brain chemistry and whatnot. Couldn't that have something to do with it?"

Sam was now the one pacing around the cell, nodding her head as if puzzling through something.

"She also has at least subconscious knowledge of the Ancients. Maybe she's using that somehow?" offered Daniel, sounding more hopeful.

"We won't really know until we get her out of here," Jack said determinedly.

"That may be a little difficult," Daniel wryly noted, gesturing at their surroundings.

"We've had worse. Plus, she is bound to spend quality time torturing us. It's what they do."

"And that helps us how?" Daniel asked.

"It will give us a chance to try and get to her, to encourage her to fight."

"If anyone can do it," Sam said softly, looking at Jack, "Haley can."

Jack stared steadily back at Sam and nodded. "I have no doubt."

* * *

Baal appeared some hours later with Anat hanging on his arm. She gestured widely with a sweep of her arm and said, "For you, dear brother, a gift!"

Baal's eyes gleamed as he took in his new prisoners. He turned to Anat and pulled her close against his body. "You have done well, my Queen."

As Baal proceeded to demonstrate exactly how grateful he was, Jack turned in disgust to Daniel. "I thought you said she was his sister?"

Daniel also looked distinctly sickened to see Baal making out with Haley- no, Anat, he reminded himself, that is Anat, not Haley. "Anat was also his consort."

"Just when you thought the Goa'uld couldn't get any nastier…"

"So, my lord," Anat eventually said, "where would you like to start?"

Baal smiled widely. "I think maybe it is time for me to get reacquainted with an old friend!"

Jack refused to react. There was no way he was giving the bastard the satisfaction.

"Brother," Anat said slowly, as the guards were grabbing Jack. "I had hoped to keep Samantha for myself, if that is okay."

"But of course, my love. You know how important family is to me."

Jack met Sam's eyes as he was dragged out. They could survive this. They had to. Jack tried his hardest to smile at her, anything to let her know it would be okay, but they turned a corner before he had a chance to see her reaction.

The chamber they took Jack to was hauntingly familiar; the gravity wall looked just as Jack remembered it. Anat had followed Baal into the room and now lounged on a chaise at the back of the room. Jack didn't want her here seeing what he knew was about to happen, but at the same time, he realized that if she was here, she couldn't be somewhere else torturing Sam.

"I never did get a chance to thank you for killing Anubis; that was indeed very helpful. But I would like to know how you did it, exactly. So why don't you tell me all about the Ancient weapon?"

"I've only got one thing to say to you, Snakehead: Bite me."

Baal chuckled. "You certainly haven't changed, have you?" Then he began to lovingly set out his various toys and Jack just closed his eyes.

Baal continued to drone on pompously, occasionally punctuating his speech with the release of a dagger. Jack refused to make a sound. Baal seemed more than a little annoyed at his lack of reaction. "A few trips to the sarcophagus should loosen your tongue," he said after a while.

"Anat, my dear. Would you care to do the honors? I find myself bored with him." Jack snapped his eyes open to see Baal handing Anat a knife.

Jack found himself unable to look away as Anat slowly raised her arm, the dagger straining against her grip as it pointed straight at his heart. He looked into her face and she gazed steadily back at him, neither of them moving to break eye contact. 'It's not Haley,' he kept reminding himself. 'I forgive you this, Haley. I know it's not you,' he thought, hoping she could read it in his eyes.

Jack thought he might have seen a flash of something in her eyes. Recognition? Uncertainty? The moment stretched long and she still made no move to release the dagger.

"Why do you hesitate?" Baal asked harshly.

Anat lowered her arm and turned to Baal. "Just savoring the moment," she purred softly as she ran one hand languidly down Baal's arm.

Baal smiled at her with an emotion Jack refused to identify, but that made his gut twist nonetheless. Baal pulled Anat close against his body and warningly circled her throat with one hand. "There will be plenty of time to play later, my pet."

Jack registered the gentle shift in Anat's stance and the flash of light as she readjusted her grip on the blade. Even with these clues, however, Jack was still completely unprepared for the sudden thrust of the dagger up and under Baal's ribs. Another rough twist of the blade quickly followed and Baal sagged against Anat, his expression one of complete disbelief.

"I'm no one's pet," Anat spat in his ear before pulling the dagger free with one ruthless tug.

Baal fell to his knees at her feet and weakly raised one hand, perhaps attempting to turn on his personal shield, but Anat was quicker. She grabbed his arm with a bloody hand and removed the device, throwing it some distance away. Anat then stood back and slowly circled Baal.

"Ah, brother, how it pains me to see you this way," she said, her voice chillingly free of any true emotion. She reached down and carefully brushed back a lock of Baal's hair, leaving a streak of blood on his forehead.

With growing horror, Baal looked up at Anat. "What…I don't understand…" he gasped with difficulty, his hands pressed to the wound that was still steadily trickling blood.

Giving Baal a look of pity, Anat said, "No, you never really did, did you?" She knelt down beside him, wrapping one arm around his shoulders and whispered quietly in his ear.

From across the room, Jack couldn't hear what she was saying, but he could see Baal's face pale alarmingly. He looked more frightened than Jack could ever remember seeing a Goa'uld look before.

Eventually, Anat leaned back from Baal with a sickening grin of triumph on her face. "No!" cried Baal in a hoarse, terrified voice.

Anat just laughed coldly and regarded Baal. "Bet we're wishing we had taken the rules a bit more seriously now, aren't we, brother."

Baal's eyes went wide, darting around the room wildly, probably looking for someone to help him.

Anat leaned down and gently kissed Baal on the forehead. The simple act was such a cruel mockery of fraternal affection that it made Jack's insides run cold. Then, with cool efficiency, Anat took Baal's head in her hands and ruthlessly snapped his neck. His eyes flashed briefly before his body hit the floor with a sickening thud.

Jack closed his eyes, unable to look upon the horrific scene before him any longer. Sure, Jack hated Baal with great passion, but he would wish such an end on no one. He always knew the Goa'uld had no scruples to speak off, but this act was beyond any he had imagined. It wasn't a simple assassination in order to gain power or territory; it was murder. A slow, vengeful act that Anat seemed to take great pleasure in.

Jack had just begun to let himself consider what Anat had planned for him now that Baal was dead, when he heard something that sounded distinctly like a whimper. Jack cracked his eyes open to see Anat sitting back on her heels near the bloody corpse of Baal. She was rocking gently back and forth and Jack once again heard a soft keening sound. This was the last thing he expected from the detached, cold murderer he had just witnessed in action moments before. But the sound of crying was now distinct.

Jack cursed himself for a fool, but before he could stop himself, he heard his voice call out uncertainly, "Haley?"

She stiffened for a moment before slowly turning her head to look at Jack. Wide blue eyes full of tears stared back at him. Then her soft voice reached him, "I couldn't…I couldn't stop it…" The voice was agonized, but so unerringly human that Jack felt his breath catch in his throat.

"Haley. Oh god, Haley."

She was no longer looking at him, but rather was staring at her hands in horror, fresh blood glistening on them. She began to wipe her hands with jerky, near-hysterical motions, the keening sound growing loudly in the back of her throat.

"Haley!" Jack barked, hoping to get her attention back. "Look at me!"

She looked up at him again, her eyes full of panic and fear. "Jack?" she said softly, as if she had already forgotten he was there.

"Yes, Haley, it's me. Now listen. You didn't do that, it isn't your fault." She was shaking her head and seemed to be tuning him out. "Haley! I need to you get me down. Can you do that?"

Haley looked confused for a moment before slowly nodding her head and pushing awkwardly to her feet. She had taken not more than two steps towards the controls when she grabbed her head with both hands, a groan tearing from her lips.

"Haley?" Jack called out, wishing, not for the first time, that he wasn't stuck to this stupid torture wall.

Haley dropped her hands from her head and turned to look at Jack. Her eyes flashed and a low voice lashed out. "Silence!" It was Anat. Jack felt his stomach drop as if the floor had just disappeared under his feet. He was really getting tired of this roller coaster ride he had been on for the last few minutes.

What really confused Jack was that when Anat finally turned around to see Baal sprawled on the floor, he swore he saw surprise and maybe a little bit of panic on her face. She quickly schooled her features, though, and after a moment, Jack was convinced that he had been seeing things. Anat grabbed a zat gun and quickly dematerialized the last vestiges of Baal, as if he had never existed.

She roughly called for Jaffa and gestured for them to remove Jack and take him back to his cell. As he was not-so-gently manhandled out of the room, Jack caught one last glimpse of Anat. She stood very still, staring blindly at the spot that had once held Baal's body.

* * *

Daniel looked up as Jack was dragged back into the cell and dropped unceremoniously onto the floor. Once the guards had left, he carefully went to Jack's side. He was groaning softly and as he rolled over, Daniel could see that there were two daggers still protruding from Jack.

"Sam," Daniel called and together they began to assess Jack's wounds, deciding that they could pull the dagger from Jack's thigh with minimal risk. After applying a make-shift pressure bandage, they sat back and surveyed their work.

"How unlike Baal not to finish something he started," Daniel noted wryly.

"Yeah, well," Jack ground out in a strained voice, "he got a little distracted."

"Distracted?"

"Yeah. I imagine getting your neck snapped can do things to your concentration."

"What?" Daniel exclaimed.

Jack drew one hand sharply across his neck and made a crunchy sound effect to reiterate his point.

"Are you saying that Baal is dead, sir?" Sam asked incredulously.

Jack nodded and waved his hands in the air like conducting an imaginary orchestra. "Ding dong, the witch is dead," he sang off-key.

"Not that I don't have faith in your considerable skills, Jack, but I take it that you weren't the one to kill him," Daniel said slowly, eying Jack's various wounds that were currently seeping blood.

"Nope. Anat did it."

"Anat?"

"Yeah, she sliced him, diced him and made julienne fries before she zatted him to hell."

"Oh my god," Sam said softly. "Why would she do that?"

Daniel shrugged. "Power? Territory? Same old Goa'uld reasons, I'd imagine."

"She doesn't like to be called 'my pet,'" Jack whispered conspiratorially, before promptly passing out.

Sam reached out and checked for his pulse, releasing a long breath when she felt its strong and steady rhythm. "None of this makes any sense, Daniel," she said, rubbing at her forehead.

"I know. I still can't quite believe that she is actually here."

"And Baal is dead," Sam said.

"Yeah. The System Lords will be pretty happy," Daniel observed wryly.

"What's left of them," Sam said, before pushing to her feet and pacing the length of the cell.

Daniel watched her for a while. "Sam, what is it?"

Sam stared blindly at a wall for a moment before answering Daniel. "She's already been through so much. How is she going to live with everything Anat has done? I mean, Jolinar was difficult enough for me, and she wasn't a homicidal maniac. Even if we can get her out of here, how is she ever going to live with this?"

Daniel had no answer, so he grabbed Sam's hand, gave it a squeeze and stood by her as they waited to see what could possibly happen next.

* * *

"For the death of Baal you will all be executed at the hand of your goddess," Anat's First Prime informed them solemnly some hours later.

"You've got to be kidding," Jack said incredulously. Having just regained consciousness, he wasn't entirely sure that he wasn't still dreaming.

"She's trying to blame us for his death?" Sam asked.

"Why would she do that? I imagine that the system lords would be grateful that she killed Baal. Maybe even make her one of them," Daniel observed.

"It is indeed most puzzling," Teal'c said, eyeing the Jaffa who was manacling his hands.

"Plus, what happened to us being too valuable to kill?" Jack asked. Then he turned to Daniel, "Sorry, Danny, I guess the snake doesn't like you anymore."

Daniel rolled his eyes at Jack as they were led out of the cell.

Once again, they found themselves kneeling on the peltak in front of Anat. Daniel couldn't help but notice that she looked more than slightly agitated.

"You have raised your hand against my brother," she accused, her voice full of barely suppressed fury. "I will show you what happens to humans that do not know their place."

"Um…excuse me your worshipfulness, but you seem to have lost the plot a bit. We didn't kill-"

Jack was interrupted by the back of Anat's hand slamming into the side of his face. He hit the floor with a groan. Daniel could see blood spreading across the bandage on his leg. Jack was going to get himself killed if he kept this up. But Daniel knew what he was trying to do. He wanted Haley to be forced to interfere.

Before Jack could say something again, Daniel looked up at Anat and took in her fury. Well, Daniel thought, here goes nothing.

"She's fighting you, isn't she," Daniel sneered softly. "You're not strong enough to suppress her. Look at how your hand trembles. Some goddess you are."

"Silence, human! You know not of what you speak." Anat's eyes flashed as she spoke, but Daniel could see true terror underlying her arrogance.

"Why don't you make me shut up, then? Go ahead. Kill me. If you can."

"Daniel…" Jack drawled warningly from his position on the floor.

But Daniel ignored him and continued to stare challengingly at Anat.

"Nothing of the host remains," Anat clarified, though she sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than anyone. In an attempt to prove her point, however, she slowly raised her hand device and a golden stream of light encompassed Daniel's head. "This is the price for disobedience."

Daniel's face twisted in pain, but he managed to groan, "Haley…" He was vaguely aware of Sam and Teal'c fighting against their restraints. Daniel forced himself to stare Anat in the eyes, trying not to remember a time when another agonizingly familiar face tried to kill him the same way.

Just when Daniel was finally ready to admit that he was going to die at her hands, the stream of light began to flicker. Daniel could see a fine sheen of sweat on Anat's face. The device turned off and Anat grabbed her trembling hand with an agonized cry, "No!" She then began to slowly back up, shaking her head the whole way.

The seeming weakness of their goddess threw the Jaffa in the room into confusion. Restraints or no, Teal'c and Sam were able to disable those closest to them and were soon armed and taking out the rest of the guard.

Daniel, from his position on the floor, continued to watch Anat slowly back away from the fight, her hands still trembling. She looked up once and met his eyes. It was a look of complete anguish. It was Haley, Daniel was sure of it.

After removing their restraints and assuring themselves that Jack and Daniel were okay, they all turned their attention to the figure still moving slowly away from them. She backed into a corner, crouching low, her head lowered into her trembling hands.

"Kill me…" a human voice softly pleaded. "Please…before it comes back."

"No, Haley," Jack said as he slowly limped towards her, leaning heavily against Teal'c. "We're bringing you with us. The Tok'ra can help you."

Haley adamantly shook her head. "No…I can't…please!"

"Everything is going to be okay, Haley," Daniel promised.

"You don't understand," she ground out, before groaning loudly. She then pushed to her feet with surprising quickness and charged towards Daniel, hand device extended.

Halfway to Daniel, Haley's body crumpled mid-step. They all turned to see Teal'c with his zat gun extended. "It is perhaps best that she remain unconscious during our escape," he calmly explained.

Jack nodded, still staring in surprise at the prone body on the floor. "Good plan."

Daniel leaned over and picked up Haley. He stared at her for a long moment before looking up at his friends and saying, "Let's get out of here."

Jack nodded and moved to follow Teal'c out of the room, but Sam stopped next to Daniel and put out one slightly shaky hand to touch her daughter's face. Sam and Daniel's eyes met over her body. "She's real," Daniel softly reassured her, before smiling softly, "but she's also heavier than she looks, so let's get moving."

Sam smiled at his attempt at levity. Together, they all made their way off the ship, a family once again. Consequences could be dealt with later.


	12. Recovery

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Recovery  
Author: Annerb  
Rating: minor language  
Summary: How will everyone reconcile recent events?  
Classifications: Series, S/J Angst, Drama, Action  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
DisclaimerThe characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Yet another calm before the storm! Batten the hatches for the next major story arc. Gotta wrap a few things up first...;) Hope everyone who was mad at me for "Sacrifices" now forgives me! Thanks be to Montage and Triptnx!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

/Part 12: Recovery/ 

Jacob rushed through the crystalline halls that had once seemed so strange to him, but now were comfortably familiar. Having just returned from a mission, he had been informed that his daughter and granddaughter were in the base. Without waiting for an explanation he had set off at a near run. He rounded a corner to find Sam, Jack, Daniel and Teal'c sitting around a table.

"Sammie," Jacob said.

Sam looked up in surprise before jumping up into her father's arms. "Dad, I'm so glad you're here."

"What's going on? They said something about Haley?"

Sam nodded. "She was with Baal. All this time…"

"No! But we saw…" Jacob started to say, looking over at Daniel who just shook his head and went back to staring at the table broodingly. "Is she okay?"

"Baal put a snake in her head, how do you think she is?" Jack asked caustically from across the room.

"He made her a host?"

"Yeah, to Anat. They're trying to remove the symbiote now."

"I can't believe it," Jacob said, shaking his head. "Did Baal learn anything from her?"

"We don't know," Sam said.

"And it's not exactly like we can ask him anymore, either," Jack noted.

At the look of confusion on Jacob's face, Sam clarified, "Baal's dead, Dad."

He stared at Sam in amazement for a moment. "Really? Man, chalk another one up for you guys."

"Can't take credit this time, Jake," Jack said.

"What? Then who?"

"Anat killed him," Sam said.

Jacob once again looked surprised, before he lowered his head and Selmak spoke. "You are certain that Anat killed him?"

"Yeah," Jack said, slightly taken aback to hear from Selmak. "And it wasn't pretty, either."

"Meaning what exactly?" Selmak pushed.

"Meaning that she seemed to take a great deal of joy in it. Took her time, too. Even though she did try to blame it on us later."

Selmak looked very pale. "What is it, Selmak?" Sam queried.

"Nothing, I am just surprised. Jacob and I will go see if we can offer any assistance with the procedure," Selmak said.

Sam smiled wanly. "Thank you."

* * *

A few hours later, they were all clustered around Haley's bed. Jacob had said that everything went well and that she would be fine, but no one could really believe it until she woke up and told them that herself. She already looked better now that she was out of the gaudy Goa'uld clothing and heavy make-up. 

Sam, who had pulled a chair up right next to her daughter's bed, ran one finger over the rough scaring on her face.

"We can only guess that she suffered point-blank trauma," a nearby Tok'ra offered. "It must have been incredibly extensive if the sarcophagus couldn't entirely heal it."

"The Reynaul weapon," Jacob said softly.

"Dad?"

"I had been having problems with the energy source overloading. I was impressed that she got it to work the first time, but it seems that maybe it didn't work as well the second time."

Movement from Haley abruptly ended any further conversation. Her eyes slowly opened and she pressed one hand to her head with a soft groan.

"Are you in pain?" asked a nearby Tok'ra in a soft voice.

Haley stared at the woman, confusion clear on her face. Then she began to look at the other faces in the room, without a flicker of recognition.

Sam gently reached out and touched her hand. "Haley?"

Haley stared at Sam. "What…what's going on?"

Sam shared a look of alarm with Daniel. Didn't she recognize any of them? "What's the last thing you remember?" Daniel asked kindly, trying not to overwhelm her.

"I'm not sure…" she said shakily before pressing both of her hands against her face. "Everything is so foggy."

"Jacob, what's going on?" Jack asked in a sharp voice.

Jacob didn't get a chance to answer because Haley was staring hard at Jack with a frown on her face. "Jack?" she finally asked uncertainly.

Jack let out a breath with a whoosh and nodded, slowly moving closer to the bed. "Yeah, Haley. It's me."

Haley slowly smiled and then looked around the room again. "Hey guys," she said, squeezing her mother's hand. "What's-"

She was cut off by Jack abruptly pulling her into a hug. "I swear to god, Haley, if you ever do anything like that again…" Jack whispered roughly, squeezing her tight.

"Jack," Haley gasped, "breathing is becoming an issue here."

Jack loosened his hold and then Sam was hugging her. Daniel moved forward and contented himself with just touching her foot. Teal'c nodded solemnly at her from the foot of her bed.

"Not that this isn't really nice, guys, but what's going on?" Haley asked with wide eyes as her parents continued to hover near the head of her bed.

"You don't remember?" asked Daniel, looking at Jacob in confusion.

"Memory loss isn't a common side effect of the procedure," Jacob said with a shrug.

"Memory loss?" Haley asked. "I think someone needs to tell me what's going on."

"What's the last thing you remember?" Sam asked again.

"Uh…we were on PX2-204."

"She can't remember why she is here, but she can remember planet designations," Jack groaned in disbelief.

Suddenly all color drained from Haley's face and she sat up suddenly. "Oh god, Baal was there!"

Sam quickly placed a hand on her arm. "Everything's okay, Haley. We're safe."

"He came for me," she said softly. "I couldn't let all those people die for me."

"No one died, Haley. You saved everyone," Daniel reassured her.

"Yes, I remember. But…shouldn't I be dead? I remember doing it, I remember dying."

"You remember nothing after that?" Selmak asked.

Haley looked up in surprise, having never spoken to Selmak before. "No. It's just a big blank." Looking around at the solemn faces, Haley asked, "So what am I missing?"

"That was three months ago," Sam finally said softly.

"And I didn't die."

Sam shook her head in confirmation.

Haley looked around her surroundings for the first time as she tried to puzzle everything out. Somehow she just knew they were Tok'ra tunnels from their familiarity. Why was she with the Tok'ra and what had she been doing for three months? Had she been with Baal?

With dawning realization, Haley slowly lifted one hand to the back of her neck where her fingers came in contact with a long thin scar. Then everything began to spin.

Noticing the increasingly green tinge to Haley's face, one of the Tok'ra managed to slip a basin onto her lap before she lost the contents of her stomach.

"Oh god…" she moaned piteously. "I was one of them…they made me one of them…"

"It's gone, Haley. It's gone," Sam said softly as she gently wiped Haley's face.

But Haley just curled up on her side and clenched her eyes tightly closed, unable to shake the feeling of violation.

* * *

Jack sat by his daughter's bed, watching her sleep. Jacob had finally managed to drag Sam off to get some food, and Daniel and Teal'c had circumspectly left to give Jack some time. 

Jack tried to wrestle with his feelings. Joy, that she was back. Grief, that she had suffered this ultimate violation. Guilt, that he had left her behind.

"Hey," Haley said softly from the bed.

Jack forced a smile. "Hey, sleepyhead."

She considered him a moment before saying, "Stop it, Jack."

"Stop what?"

"You couldn't have known," she said softly.

Jack sighed, thinking that it really sucked that she could read him so well.

When Jack seemed unwilling to capitulate the point, Haley reached a hand up to touch the back of her neck. "I'm trying to decide if it's better that I can't remember, or if I will just drive myself nuts imagining all the horrible things I may have done."

"Haley," Jack started, "you know that you aren't responsible-"

Haley shook her head, not wanting to hear it. "When can we go home?" she asked instead.

Jack stared at her for a moment and then decided not to push. "They just want to keep an eye on your for a while. Probably tomorrow morning."

Haley nodded. "Good. This place kinda creeps me out."

"I know the feeling," Jack said with a smile. "Tell you what, when we get back, do you want to come up to my cabin? It might be nice to get away from everything for a while."

Haley broke into a smile, the first Jack had seen since they got her back. "That sounds great. Thanks, Jack."

She sounded so grateful that Jack couldn't help but laugh. "I'm always trying to shanghai people into coming up there with me. Just to warn you, it's rustic. Nothing but trees and a pond with no fish."

Haley closed her eyes briefly and sighed. "It sounds like heaven to me."

Jack had never known anyone to love open air and trees like Haley. His guilt was suddenly overwhelmed by his complete gratefulness that he was being given a second chance. He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the forehead, just like the ones he used to give Charlie before bed. "Thank you," he said softly.

Haley didn't need to ask what he was thankful for.

They chatted absently about things for a while, Haley asking what had happened on the Simpsons while she was gone. After a while, Haley looked past Jack's shoulder and smiled. "Sam."

Haley saw Jack stiffen and get up from the edge of the bed. "I'll give you two some time," he said gruffly, squeezing Haley's hand and giving her a smile. Jack moved stiffly past Sam to the exit, neither of them looking at each other. Sam turned and watched his retreating back for a moment before turning and forcing a smile.

Haley wasn't fooled.

* * *

Daniel wandered into Haley's room the next morning to find her looking in a small mirror, one hand absently tracing over the rough scar on her face. 

"I guess my plan quite literally back-fired," Haley quipped half-heartedly.

Daniel could tell that she was trying to cover with humor. "It's not that bad," Daniel quietly observed.

Haley laughed somewhat harshly. "I know I should just be glad to be alive and everything, but this is grotesque."

Daniel reached over and took the mirror from her. "You're still beautiful."

Their eyes met and Haley's cheeks flushed slightly before she shook her head and said, "I thought I told you not to lie to me, Daniel."

Daniel felt his smile melt from his face as he thought of their last conversation at the Delta-site. He had tried to promise her that everything would be okay. How wrong he had been. "I'm sorry, Haley. We should have been able to keep you from this."

"It's okay, Daniel. I knew what I was risking. And I also know that I would do it again, if it came down to it."

Daniel didn't like to think of that possibility. "As if Jack and Sam will ever let you set foot off-world again," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

He was rewarded with a slight smile from Haley. "Where are they, anyway?"

"I'm sure they're around somewhere." Daniel kept his tone light, not wanting her to know that he was surprised himself that they weren't here.

"They're angry."

"No. Losing you was just really hard on both of them. They love you, Haley."

"What about you?"

"What?" Daniel said, slightly startled by the question.

"Are you angry with me?"

Daniel let out a breath and grabbed her hand. "No, Haley. I'm just really glad that you're back."

Haley smiled, but he could tell she was still bothered about something. "Daniel…if I ask you something, do you promise to answer it honestly?"

Daniel didn't really know what she might ask, but felt she deserved straight answers if he could give them. He nodded once. "I promise."

"Did I…when I was her…did I hurt you?"

"Haley…you are not responsible for what Anat did or did not do. You were just as much a victim as anyone else."

"That wasn't an answer."

"No, Haley. You didn't hurt me. In fact, you saved me. Again." He wasn't sure she believed him, but he liked to think that she relaxed, just a little.

"I'll have to take your word for that," she said rubbing at her head. "Please tell me that you are here to spring me from this place."

Daniel held up the bag in his hand. "Thought you might need these," he said, pulling out some clothes and placing them on the bed.

Haley's face lit up. "Daniel, you are the best," she said emphatically. "Tok'ra couture doesn't quite do it for me."

Daniel smiled and headed for the exit. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes."

"I only need five!" she called after him, clearly eager to get home.

Daniel chuckled softly and went to look for Jack and Sam.

* * *

Jacob and Selmak walked them all to the Stargate. They waved goodbye to Haley as she stepped through the event horizon with Jack close at her side. Daniel and Teal'c followed, but before Sam could step through, they reached out a hand to stop her. 

"Samantha," Selmak asked, "would you promise me that you will contact me if Haley begins to remember her time as a Goa'uld?"

When Sam gave them a strange look, Selmak rushed to say, "I think we might be able to help her deal with her experiences. We would just like to be there for her, if we can."

Sam's face softened and she smiled. "Sure. I'll let you know. Thanks, Selmak."

With a last wave, Sam disappeared. Selmak watched the silent gate for a long time, trying to ignore the growing unease that she couldn't explain to Jacob.


	13. Someday

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Someday  
Author: Annerb  
Rating: minor language  
Summary: Jack gets a long deserved kick in the butt.   
Classifications: Series, S/J, Drama  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
DisclaimerThe characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-1, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: I'm pretty sure that this is what you have all been waiting for! ;) Hope you packed a toothbrush for some of this! Thanks Montage and Triptnx!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

_**Part 13: Someday**_

"Haley! Pizza's here!" Jack called back to his daughter. He shook his head in disbelief as he headed towards the front door. How in the world she managed to find a pizza joint willing to deliver way out here in the middle of nowhere he had no idea. Haley had been pretty insistent that she had found someone to do it and Jack was not one to argue, as he loved nothing more than hot pizza and cold beer. Well, maybe his daughter, but beer and pizza were way up there.

There was no answer from the back of the cabin where Haley had locked herself away in the early hours of this morning, claiming headache and alone time with a good book. Jack had no problem giving her space; after all, they had already been at the cabin together all week. They had had some great bonding time. Haley loved the beauty of the forest and, to Jack's delight, actually loved the concept of fishing as much as he did. In many ways, Haley had seemed like she was back to her old self.

Jack grabbed his wallet and headed for the door, beginning to wonder at her lack of response. He pulled the front door open to find Sam standing there, holding a pizza box. "Special delivery, as requested," Sam supplied with a self-conscious smile as if she wasn't sure how she would be received.

When he still continued to stare at her, his mouth hanging open in a rather cute way, she plowed on, even though the smile began to waver. "Haley did mention that she invited me up for the weekend, didn't she?"

From Jack's expression it was clear that she hadn't and Sam was already formulating a hasty retreat even as she thought of a few things she would like to say to their wayward daughter. "Uh…sorry, I didn't mean to intrude." Sam shoved the pizza box into Jack's hands and headed back to her rental car.

Jack seemed to wake up from his stupor at the sight of Sam's retreating back. _Jesus, Jack,_ he railed at himself, _say something! _ "Carter!" he managed to grind out. "Come back here! You came all the way out here; there is no reason for you not to stay."

Sam had paused halfway up the walkway and Jack quickly caught up with her. "No, I thought you knew I was coming up. I never would have intruded on your bonding time." Jack noticed she was flustered and he silently sent a few choice words back towards his daughter's room.

"Come on, Carter. She's your daughter, too. We'll all bond together. Heck, it's not like I haven't invited you up here a million times before." Sam smiled somewhat sadly at that reminder, but turned back to the cabin with Jack.

"It's more beautiful than I imagined," Sam confessed softly.

Jack looked at her. _Had she imagined this place often? _he wondered. _As often as I imagined her being here?_ "I'm glad you're finally getting a chance to see it," he said, though he was secretly very, very glad that he wasn't here with her alone.

They stepped into the cabin together and Jack set the pizza down in the kitchen. Sam looked around; noting that this place seemed even more lived in, more Jack-like, than his somewhat sterile house in Colorado Springs. It was all warm wood and soft leather, with a large wood-burning stove. Large picture windows opened up over the small lake and the surrounding woods. She also noticed with a start that there was no TV, though maybe there was one hidden somewhere else. She couldn't believe that he would abandon hockey and the Simpsons, even out here in the woods.

Jack was silently watching her survey the family room, wondering if she liked it or what she saw when she looked at it. Perhaps feeling his gaze, she turned back to him to find him staring at her. Jack quickly looked away and gestured down a small hallway. "Want to go say 'hi' to Haley?"

Sam nodded and followed him down to the second door on the left. Jack knocked on the door, calling out their daughter's name. There was no answer and he knocked again before trying the handle. They both stepped into the room, trying to tamp down the instinctual military alarms going off in their heads at her lack of response. It was clear to Sam as soon as she entered the room that it was empty. Not only empty of people, but also things, as there was no evidence of clothing, books, toiletries or anything. Sam glanced at Jack, but he seemed just as confused.

At the same time, they both noticed a small white note sitting on the middle of the bed. Jack reached for it and skimmed it quickly, his face growing noticeably darker with each line he read. Wordlessly, he handed it over to Sam to read.

_Hey guys-_

_If you're reading this, then I'm already on my way back to Colorado Springs. I know that you are both thinking of very creative ways to kill me, but you will have to wait at least until Monday. In the meantime, I would consider it a personal favor if you guys took advantage of this weekend to actually TALK. I am not the only one who is at my wit's end with you two (Not that Daniel or Teal'c put me up to this; I came up with this wacky plan all on my own). I don't know what happened while I was gone, but I can't help but feel responsible. So, please, for me, figure this out._

_Here's the only advice I can think of: Be honest. Jack, you should know better by now and Sam, I thought you were way smarter than this. I'm not expecting miracles (or siblings for that matter), but I would at least hope that you guys could talk again or be friends, like you were before. I'll be safely hidden under the Mountain until you guys get back. Have fun._

_Love, _

_Your dutiful daughter,_

_Haley_

Sam finished the letter, but couldn't get herself to look at Jack. How long they stood there, staring at an empty room, she couldn't be sure. Jack was the one to finally break the silence. "You want a beer?"

Sam nodded mutely. Boy, did she need one.

* * *

Jack and Sam had finished the pizza and had a few beers each. Now they sat across from each other at the small kitchen table. The sun had long since set on the little cabin in the woods, and yet neither of its occupants had said a word. 

Sam finally decided she couldn't stand the silence anymore. It was not a comfortable silence, the kind they used to easily slip into with each other. The time when they had found solace in simple companionship was long gone. Ever since they had lost Haley to Baal, Jack could barely stand to be in the same room with her. Jack had brutally rebuffed Sam every time she futilely attempted to get him to talk to her. Sam had decided to walk away eventually, mostly out of a need to protect herself from what Jack had become.

Now, all this time later, when their daughter had been miraculously returned to them, damaged, but not destroyed, Sam found all pity and patience for this man disappear. All that was left was a pulsating anger. Even Haley had seen how wrong things were between Jack and Sam, judging by the intricate plan she had laid out to get them here together alone. And Jack still stubbornly refused to even acknowledge her. _Damn the man_, Sam swore to herself.

"I think I am finally beginning to understand why Sara left you."

Jack's eyes were hard as granite when he looked up at Sam. "Why would that be, Colonel?" His voice was low, and Sam could easily hear the warning in it, but she was too pissed to really care.

"Because when push comes to shove, you really are a selfish bastard."

Jack tried to remain impassive, but Sam knew him well enough to see him flinch at her accusation. Secretly, she was relieved to see evidence that he really did still feel.

Jack looked her straight in the eye and said, "It took you eight years to figure that out?" Then he pushed back his chair and headed to his room in the rear of the cabin, effectively signaling an end to the conversation.

Sam, however, was not going to let him off that easy. Haley was right; they owed it to her and themselves to have this out. It was a fight that had been brewing for months and Sam found that she was spoiling for a fight. She grabbed Jack's arm and forced him to turn around. "No way, Jack. We are going to have this out once and for all. You may not have anything to say, but you are going to damn well listen to what I have to say."

"Actually, _Colonel_, this conversation is finished." He knew it was a low blow to remind her of their ranks, but he didn't really care. All that mattered was ending this conversation before he said something he wouldn't be able to take back. He didn't miss the hurt in her eyes, though, and he hated that he was the one to do this to her. But self-hatred was an old companion by now. It was comfortable; it was safe.

Jack turned his back on Sam and pushed into his room, certain that she wouldn't follow. He sat down on the bed and had removed his second shoe before she finally spoke, her voice now quiet where it had been belligerent before.

"I believed in you," she said softly. "You have always watched out for me, even when I thought I didn't need it. We have always watched each other's six. I thought you would always be there for me, no matter how crazy everything else around us became. And then, when I needed you most, when I was at my lowest and wasn't sure I would ever be right again; you turned your back on me. Haley was dead. _Our_ daughter was dead, and you were too stubborn or wrapped up in your own pain or something to see that I needed you."

Each one of her soft words had been like a bullet to Jack and suddenly he was wishing for her anger, anything other than the betrayal and anguish in her voice. He sat, completely still, on the edge of his bed with his back to her, unable to respond. Unwilling to even acknowledge that he had heard her.

"I just want to know why, Jack. Why did you do that to me, to us?"

With a swiftness that surprised him, Jack's mood fired into anger at her accusations and assumptions. He also felt a need to see her angry. _Push her away, push her away,_ Jack's self-preservation screeched.

"There is no 'us,' Carter," he ground out. "And I'm sorry I couldn't hold your hand, but you were not the only one who lost someone."

Sam knew he was just trying to be mean, and sensing that he was cracking, she just pushed back harder. "Was that the great and amazing Jack O'Neill admitting that he actually felt something? Do you have a heart underneath all that armor?"

"No, I don't, remember? I am a selfish old bastard. So why don't you take that fun new revelation with you and get the hell out of here."

Sam stared at Jack for a long while. He refused to look at her, but she thought that maybe she was finally figuring something out. "You would like that, wouldn't you," she asked evenly. "You'd like me to just walk away."

"Yes," he hissed.

"I'm not Sara," was Sam's response. Jack's head snapped up at that statement, looking at Sam for the first time.

"I'm aware of that fact, thank you very much." He was disconcerted to see that Sam no longer looked angry or even hurt. Instead, she gave him a speculative look, like she was about to figure out a very complex puzzle.

The next thing Jack knew, Sam was moving towards the bed. She sat down next to him and said, "I'm not walking away."

Suddenly she was too near. "Carter, don't." He hated the pleading in his voice, but his defenses were rapidly abandoning him and he was far too aware that he was sitting on his bed, in his cabin in the middle of nowhere with none other than Sam Carter. He could smell her shampoo and there was just something so wrong about that.

She didn't move away, but rather leaned in and asked, "Don't what?"

Jack shot off the bed. "Jesus, Carter."

"I just want to know why you are so intent on treating me this way, like I'm a leper!"

Jack ran his hands through his hair. "I can't…" he trailed off and looked quickly for the exit, but Sam had followed him, not giving him an inch of space.

"Can't what?" she insisted. "Come on, Jack! What is this really all about?"

Jack really wished she would stop saying his name. It was freaking him the heck out. The shampoo smell was still there, too, and it was making it hard for him to think. Her presence was overwhelming him and he just began speaking without thinking. "I can't…I can't need you, Carter."

She blinked up at him. "I don't understand."

"I thought you were supposed to be the smart one," he shot back as he moved away from her.

"So explain it to me."

"Come on, Carter. I may be a cold-hearted bastard, but I am not completely made of stone. If I let myself need you, what the hell happens to me the next time a Pete comes by? What happens to me the next time you decide to walk away?"

Sam stopped cold, knowing he was right. It had always been her. She had always been the one to walk away, to ignore. So this time, he had just walked away first. Suddenly Sam was filled with the need for him to really understand.

"There won't be a next time," she pledged quietly.

Jack stared at her in shock before shaking his head. "Carter, I've never begrudged you your happiness. I'm not asking you to never have another relationship, I just asking you to not make it any harder."

It was a legitimate request and Sam was once again impressed by how much he would willingly suffer, just to see her happy. But he needed to understand, once and for all where she was coming from. "You still don't really understand what happened with Pete, do you? I didn't just decide that I didn't love Pete; I decided that there was really only one way that I would ever be happy and that I wouldn't be stupid or selfish enough to settle for anything else."

Jack had no voice for a second, disbelieving that she could really mean what he hoped she did. "So, what, you are going to just wait for someday, knowing full well that it may never come?"

Sam simply nodded, but Jack shook his head. "You deserve more. It's not enough."

"It has to be."

"Why?" Jack asked before he could stop himself, not sure if he really wanted to know.

Sam wandered over to Jack, placed a hand on his arm and looked him straight in the eye. "Because despite the fact that you can be a real bastard and you hurt me so much…despite every damn reason that I shouldn't… I…" She took a deep breath. "I love you, Jack."

It was the first time either of them had ever mentioned love. She had broken their unspoken promise to speak vaguely, if ever, about such things. Jack noticed that Sam stood very still, as if holding her breath, waiting to see if the world would end as they had always feared it would in the face of such a confession. When Armageddon didn't come, she looked up once more at the flabbergasted Jack and then she walked out of the room.

* * *

Jack was still standing like a complete idiot five minutes later when through the window he saw Sam walking out on the front path. He panicked for a moment, thinking that she was leaving, that he had just managed to royally screw up the one moment he had dreamed about for a long time. But his pulse settled back down when he saw Sam wander out onto the dock and sit on the edge of the lake. 

The moonlight washed everything silver and reflected gently off the water. Jack stared at the motionless form on the dock for at least another five minutes as he tried to get his shanghaied brain to compute what had just happened.

Jack eventually walked out to the dock to stand behind Sam, his hands thrust deeply into his pockets. "So now what?" he asked softly.

Sam shrugged. "I have no idea."

Jack took a deep breath and stared out over the water for a long time. He felt that he owed Sam some honesty, especially since she had been the one to step up. "I don't want to just forget this happened, Carter. I'm getting damn tired of rooms."

"Me too," she said softly.

"Just tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it. Do you want me to retire? Transfer?" Jack trailed off as Sam shook her head.

"Why don't we just start with honesty?"

"Are you sure I can't just retire?" Jack asked with a slight edge of panic.

Sam laughed softly and reached a hand up to Jack. "I imagine honesty is a big enough step to start with."

Jack knew she was right, but considering they had spent the last four or five years speaking half-truths or not speaking at all, it seemed a tall order. He took the offered hand and settled down next to Sam on the dock.

"I could get used to this," Jack said after a while, twining his fingers through Sam's.

"To what?" Sam asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Actually getting to touch you, without having to come up with some excuse."

Sam smiled somewhat shyly at him and he realized just how much he had missed her these last months. Not just the little dance they had been doing for years, it was more than that. He had missed his best friend. She was the one person who probably could have helped him with his grief and he had turned his back on her. Why? Punishment, maybe. He still felt that Haley's 'death' had in some way been his fault. He had lost another woman her child. Sam was absolution he didn't deserve.

"What are you thinking?" Sam asked, watching him speculatively. "Honesty, remember?"

Jack sighed. "I was thinking that I've been an ass."

Sam didn't look inclined to disagree.

"And also that I've missed you these last months."

Sam leaned her head onto Jack's shoulder. "Me too."

Jack smiled and put his arm around her. "Maybe this honesty stuff isn't so bad."

He could feel her laugh against his side and Jack felt the overwhelming need to just grab her and kiss her until she could no longer pronounce multi-syllabic words. He resisted the urge with difficulty and sighed.

"This hasn't really changed anything, has it?" Jack could tell that she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"I don't know."

"I take it that neither of us are willing to sneak around and lie."

"No," Sam said softly. "I wouldn't want it to be that way."

"Yeah, me neither."

"But something _has_ changed," Sam alleged.

"What?"

"Now we know," she said simply. "I think I could wait forever if I just knew…" her voice trailed off, suddenly sounding uncertain.

Jack gently touched her face, forcing her to look up at him. "I do, Carter, you know. Love you. That is one thing you can be certain of."

Sam treated him to the sweetest smile he had ever seen. "For now, that is more than enough."

* * *

Sam woke the next morning to the smell of waffles. The sun was already up and a quick glance at the clock by the bed told Sam that she had slept in later than she had in months. They had been up late, sitting on that dock until the early hours of the morning, watching the stars and talking about nothing in particular. It was probably the greatest night of her life, even if she had spent the second half of it alone in the guestroom. 

As she changed into jeans and a t-shirt, though, Sam couldn't help but feel small butterflies of nervousness. Somehow honesty was a lot easier under the cover of darkness. What happened to their confessions in the bright light of day? This would be the true test, she thought as she stood in front of the door, her hand hovering over the doorknob.

"Geronimo," she whispered softly.

She walked into the cabin's small kitchen to find Jack standing at the counter, watching an old fashioned waffle iron.

"Like father like daughter," Sam observed.

Jack turned around with one eyebrow raised. "Oh really?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, she's a bit of a waffle guru."

"Sweet," he said before turning back to pull a perfect golden waffle off the iron.

Sam watched him, unnerved that she was having a hard time reading him. He seemed very…normal. And she wasn't sure what that meant.

With a flourish, Jack put a plate on the table for her and gestured for her to sit. He joined her soon after and Sam took a bite. Delicious, unsurprisingly. Jack was also digging in to his breakfast and Sam wondered what he was thinking. Was he regretting the things he had said last night?

"Carter," Jack said as if reading her mind.

Sam looked up to find him watching her with a smile. "Yes, s-" she bit off the last of that word with a grimace. But Jack just smiled wider.

He waved his fork at her and said, "You're thinking too much."

Sam tried not to look guilty.

"Not that it isn't not cute, mind you," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "but you're going to blow a gasket if you keep this up."

"Cute?" Sam asked disbelievingly.

"Hey, you're the one who wanted honesty, remember," he said with a mischievous smile.

"You are an evil man, Jack O'Neill," Sam said, trying her hardest not to smile.

"You have no idea." His tone promised that one day she _would_ know just how evil he could be. He smiled widely at her and Sam smiled back like an idiot, her stomach doing little flips. These really were the best waffles she'd ever had.

After breakfast, Jack took Sam for a hike to all his favorite spots. Walking through the trees together almost felt like the old days, except that sometimes Jack would take her hand to help her over an obstacle and then not let go. He was different out here, more at ease, more open. They didn't have to worry about off-world surprises, not that Jack wasn't as vigilant as he always was. You can take the soldier out of the field, but you can't take the field out of the soldier. Sam laughed at the cliché and earned a strange look from Jack. Sam just shook her head and smiled.

In the afternoon, they lounged on the dock with fishing poles. Sam wondered if late afternoon was really the best time for fishing, but Jack had just shrugged and grabbed another beer. "It's not about the fish, Carter," he reminded her.

"So what are we going to do about Haley?" Sam asked a few hours later.

"I'd give her the Congressional Medal of Honor if I could," Jack quipped. "Service above and beyond the call of daughterly duty."

Sam laughed, also very grateful to her for forcing them up here. "Something tells me that you aren't going to just thank her and let her off the hook, though."

"Nope," Jack said simply.

Sam recognized the gleam in his eyes. She couldn't help but remember the little prank war between Jack and Daniel that had gotten way out of hand a few years ago. "Just promise me this won't involve permanent markers or laxatives."

Jack winced at the memory. "Definitely not."

Sam giggled, remembering how she had had to explain to Teal'c exactly what a practical joke was as Jack and Daniel had both lay nearby moaning.

"No giggling, Carter," Jack said grumpily.

Sam smiled broadly. "You know, you're cute when you're grouchy."

"Cute?" he said sharply, like she had just insulted him greatly.

Sam grabbed his empty bottle and stood up to head back into the cabin. "Yeah, Jack. _Cute_," she said sassily.

The next thing she knew, she was spitting out pond water. Jack O'Neill could really move fast when he wanted to, she thought, before she streaked off to get her revenge.

A couple of hot showers and a spaghetti dinner later, Jack and Sam were out on the deck, watching the sun set on their last evening at the cabin.

"I don't really want to leave," Sam confessed wistfully.

"I know the feeling," Jack said, leaning next to her on the porch railing.

"Promise me something?"

"Anything."

"Promise me that we won't go back and just fall into old patterns. Promise me that we won't just conveniently forget or ignore. I don't think I could handle that."

Jack dropped his arm around Sam and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. "I promise," he whispered against her ear.

Then he lifted his beer in salute and said, "To someday."

Sam mirrored the motion with a smile. "Someday."

* * *

Late Monday morning, Jack and Sam stood next to each other in the SGC, waiting for an elevator to take them down. When the doors finally slid open, Sam gestured for Jack to go first. 

"After you, sir."

Jack looked at Sam. "I can't wait until you can't call me that anymore."

Sam just smiled. "Yes, sir."

"Alright, Colonel. Let's get back to work."

They filled the ride down with shop-talk. Jack complained about the Leaning Tower of Paperwork that was undoubtedly waiting for him, and Sam talked about an experiment she was planning on running.

As they walked out of the elevator, though, Jack had to suppress a random urge to grab Sam's hand. Sam must have seen the aborted move, because she looked sideways at Jack and cocked one eyebrow.

Jack frowned at her and said, "Maybe this is a really bad idea."

Sam's eyes widened and he quickly added, "I've never been good at waiting."

Sam broke into a wide grin. Then, aware of the other airmen walking the halls, she leaned in and whispered, "Hard for _you_? At least you don't know what you're missing, _Sir_."

Jack's mouth went dry and he stared at Sam in shock. She chuckled softly and then started down the hall. Was she deliberately swaying her hips! Damn her! Stop looking at her ass, Jack sternly reminded himself. But at that moment the true meaning behind her words hit him and he was suddenly acutely aware of the fact that she had seen him naked.

"Damn it, Carter," he called out after her in a somewhat strangled voice, "that is _so_ not fair!"


	14. Surfacing

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Surfacing  
Author: Annerb  
Email: PG, minor language  
Summary: Suppression rarely works, as both Daniel and Haley discover.  
Classifications: Series, D/Other, Drama  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Archive: Yes, SJD and Heliopolis  
Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-1, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

* * *

Author's Note: This part is about what Haley does while Jack and Sam are in Minnesota. Here comes the soap! By the way, for everyone who fears "The End" is coming up quick, all I can say is no worries. There is still one **big **twisty secret left! You should know by now that I'm all about the foreshadowing. (And just so you know, this thing is slated to go until Chapter 20 at least.) The angst is far from over, my friends! Thanks to Montage and Triptnx!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

**_

* * *

_**

**_Part 14: Surfacing_**

Daniel swore softly under his breath as the lead of his pencil snapped. He was getting quite aggravated with this most recent translation. For some reason he was getting nowhere, fast. His concentration wasn't what it usually was. He should have been racing through this as he always did when he came in on Saturdays. The Mountain only had a small skeleton crew on the weekends. Today was even especially quiet with no Jack to come in and distract him with inane questions and hokey jokes. Okay, so he did secretly like the hokey jokes, but he would never admit that. He leaned back and sighed, rubbing his hands over his weary face.

Someone knocked at the doorframe and Daniel opened his eyes to see Haley standing there.

"Watcha doing, Daniel?" she asked, cocking her head to one side.

Daniel almost laughed; it was another one of those moments when Haley seemed to be channeling Jack. How had they ever managed to not see the resemblance? Haley may look a lot like Sam, but she had the O'Neill personality down pat. He smiled at her, about to reply to her question when he suddenly sat up straight in his chair.

"Aren't you supposed to be in Minnesota with Jack?"

Haley smiled somewhat hesitantly with a mischievous glint in her eyes that would have made Daniel look carefully at his coffee for the next few days if it had been Jack.

"Well…technically, yes."

Technically, yes? What was that supposed to mean? Daniel raised both his eyebrows at her, prompting her to continue.

Haley sighed and draped herself over a free chair next to his desk. "Well…I kind of guilt-tripped Sam into coming up to the cabin and then I sort of…well…stranded them there together."

The bark of laughter from Daniel startled Haley for a second before she grinned widely at him. Daniel was doing a poor job of controlling his mirth, but he couldn't help himself. He could just see Jack and Sam's faces when they realized they had been had. Daniel wiped a tear from his eye and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. "Haley, not that you didn't have good reason to act the way you did, but you do realize that they are absolutely going to kill you when they get back, right?"

Haley nodded solemnly, like a person before the firing squad. Then she shrugged, "At least I have this weekend left." Ever the pragmatist. Daniel did understand why she did it, Jack and Sam had been driving him nuts too, and he knew Teal'c was at a loss as to what to do as well.

"I guess we just hope they use the time to fix whatever it is between them," Daniel suggested, before turning back to the frustrating translation on his desk.

Haley quickly shook her finger at Daniel. "Oh, no, no, no, Dr. Jackson. No more work today. If this is my last weekend, you and Teal'c are definitely going to have to take me out and show me some more Earth pass-times."

Daniel glanced up at Haley's eager face and shook his head. "Sorry, Haley, but Teal'c is visiting Ishta and I am stuck on an impossible translation that I have to get done."

Before he could say anything else, Haley had snatched the picture from him and grabbed a tablet of paper and a pencil. She stared at the image for sometime, her forehead crinkled up in concentration. Daniel's protest died on his lips as he watched her in fascination. He would be quite impressed if she could read this obscure Goa'uld dialect.

Suddenly, Haley began madly scribbling on the pad of paper. She had filled about two pages when she looked up at Daniel, a luminous smile on her face. She silently handed him the paper. Daniel glanced over it, ready to check the translation, but Haley had other plans. She grabbed his arm and began dragging him out of his lab. Before he could protest once again, she began a diatribe on all the things she wanted to try. "I've heard of a Tau'ri sport called bowling, I think I definitely want to give that a try…"

Daniel shook his head in amusement, already resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to get any more work done today. Looking at his smiling companion, whose eyes were shining with excitement, he found that he really didn't mind that much after all.

* * *

That Saturday they actually ended up at the Denver Art Museum, one of Daniel's favorite local haunts. Haley clearly showed greater interest in things that her parents had little time for and therefore little knowledge, and she wasn't quite ready to face the fact that Sam had been a junior bowling champ. She claimed to enjoy doing something that actually felt 'new.' Since she was with Daniel, 'new' meant anything involved in the study of culture, and, surprisingly enough, mini-golf. 

They spent most of the afternoon wandering the halls of the Denver Art Museum together, Haley occasionally asking questions, but more often than not, they just silently contemplated the works created by unknown hands centuries before. A work of art is an interesting thing, like a little time capsule, each one wanting to tell the story of the artist that made it and the people who viewed it and what it meant to them.

During dinner, Haley had managed to weasel out that Daniel liked to play miniature golf. The words brought up no images or strong memories for Haley, so she decided that it was safe, something definitely worth trying. They found a great little night course, carefully lit up with colored paper lanterns. The full moon and clear night sky helped illuminate the field as well.

At the first hole, it became clear to Daniel that Haley was absolutely terrible at mini-golf. He at first feared that she would get frustrated and throw her clubs around, much to the peril of the other golfers. But glancing at her face, he was surprised to find her smiling brightly and desperately trying to catch her breath in between laughter. She seemed to be delighted at how much she sucked! When she caught him looking, she cheekily observed, "Guess they didn't mix in the all important mini-golf gene when they made me!"

Daniel had to smile at her, it had been quite a while since any of them had seen Haley this at ease, this happy. He was still baffled at her reaction. Why had he expected her to not take it well that she was bad at something? _Because that is exactly what Jack or Sam would have done_. It was a strange thought, but he knew it was right. He had come to expect certain behavior from Haley, thinking of her, as he always did lately, as Jack and Sam's daughter. He was always picking out Jackisms and Samisms.

This night, however, watching Haley and her totally crap golf game, was an uncomfortable reminder that she actually was her own person, with her own interests and personality, no matter how many other people's knowledge and memories were running around in her head. Why uncomfortable and not interesting and welcome? Daniel didn't really want to know, but he was suddenly far too aware that he was alone with Haley. He had an irrational need for Teal'c or anyone else to be there with them.

"Daniel? You coming?" Daniel looked up to see Haley standing over the first hole, triumphantly holding her golf ball. Her gaze became speculative as she watched him. "You okay?"

Daniel smiled faintly at her. "Yeah, just thinking."

Haley nodded in understanding, knowing that thinking could be an engrossing and sometimes dangerous thing. "Well, finish thinking already and come with me to the second hole. I think I can get this next one in less than 20 strokes!" Daniel glanced at the scorecard as he went to follow her. The next hole was a par 4. It was going to be a long night.

'Long night' turned out to be an understatement. They had only made it to the seventh hole before the lights were literally turned off on them. Haley really was _very_ bad. Her infectious merriment made the ordeal worth it and Daniel had to admit that she really did seem to be trying, though improvement was long off. They carefully made their way over the darkened course together, both trying to stifle laughter at the expression on the face of the long-suffering golf attendant who took their clubs from them.

As they wandered out to Daniel's car, he glanced at his watch, startled to see that it was almost eleven already. He really hadn't meant to keep her out this late. Haley came up behind him and looped her arm through his. She gave his arm a small squeeze and said, "Thanks for today, Daniel. I don't think I've had this much fun in a long time."

"I had fun too, Haley." He was surprised to find that he actually meant it. It had been a long time since he last let himself completely forget about work for a while. "Of course, I didn't really mean to keep you out this late. Jack wouldn't be too happy with me."

Haley shrugged and let go of his arm. "I'm not a child, Daniel," she gently reminded him, the smile dropping from her face. She got into the passenger side of the car before Daniel could think of a way to respond to that. _It would be easier if she was a child, wouldn't it?_ questioned the annoying voice in his head. Daniel tried to shake the thought out of his head and began the silent drive back to Colorado Springs.

* * *

Rather than drive the extra 30 minutes to the mountain, Haley crashed in Daniel's guestroom just as Jack or Sam had done countless times before. Haley had quietly thanked Daniel for a spare shirt and sweatpants, offering him a small smile before retreating to the guestroom. 

It was very late and Daniel had just managed to fall asleep when he was woken up by soft sounds coming from the next room. He was ready to just roll back over to sleep, assuming that Haley was a snorer liker her parents, when he heard her voice through the thin walls, low and harsh. "Please, no… No! I don't want…"

Daniel got out of bed and quietly opened the door to the guestroom to find Haley in the grips of a nightmare. The sheets were twisted around her body, her hands fighting an unseen aggressor. All the while she was quietly mumbling in incoherent, yet anguished words. Daniel carefully went to Haley's side. He gently took her hands, "Shh… Haley, it's just a dream. Wake up, Haley. Everything's okay."

At first, she fought him and then sat up with a gasp so suddenly that she nearly knocked Daniel to the floor. Her eyes were wide and staring, lit by confusion. Daniel wasn't sure that she was actually seeing him or something else instead. After a moment, she looked down at her hands in horror.

"Blood…my hands…there is so much blood on my hands!" She looked frantically up at Daniel, her eyes full of tears. "It was me, but it wasn't. And there was so much blood." She began to hysterically rub at her hands, as if to wipe off the imagined blood.

Daniel grabbed her hands again and pulled her into a hug. "Shhh…Haley. There isn't any blood. You're okay." Daniel was trying to calm her, but he was still stuck on the words she had used. _It was me, but it wasn't_. Was she remembering something from when she was a host? They had accepted it as a blessing that she didn't seem to remember anything from her time with Anat, and he really hoped that this dream wasn't a memory resurfacing.

He continued to gently rock Haley and he could feel her starting to calm down. "It was only a dream, Haley," he murmured into her hair. He could feel her shake her head.

"No, it wasn't. It was me." She pulled back and looked Daniel straight in the eye, her own full of pain and tears. "I don't want that to be me," she confessed quietly, brokenly.

"It's not, Haley, it's not," he gently reassured her and she leaned back into him, resting her head against his chest. How long they sat like that, with Haley carefully cradled in his arms, his cheek resting against the top of her head, he was unsure.

After a while, he became aware of her slow, even breathing that seemed to indicate that she had fallen back asleep. When he pulled back, however, he was slightly startled to find her awake. She was staring back at him.

Daniel reached out one hand and gently brushed her hair back from her face. Haley leaned her head into his hand, closing her eyes.

The simple act made Daniel's heart constrict. "Haley…" he said softly. At the sound of her name, she opened her eyes again, full of trust and need.

Suddenly Daniel's head was swimming. He was aware of the burning warmth where her hand lay on his chest. He was seeing her, as if for the first time, as a woman, something he had been subconsciously fighting for a while, ever since he found out who she really was. But feeling her in his arms, her face so close to his, he couldn't ignore it any longer; he didn't _want_ to ignore it. His hands gently tightened on Haley's arms and her eyes widened as they stared relentlessly at him, almost as if she was asking him what was happening to them.

Daniel had just let himself wonder what she was feeling at that moment, and what she would do if he just leaned in and…when reality crashed back in. She was Jack and Sam's _daughter_, barely more than a child. She should be like a niece to him, a sister. Just like Cassie. These thoughts were like a rush of cold water to Daniel. He suddenly felt sick and stood up abruptly, letting go of Haley and stepping quickly away from the bed.

Haley seemed to sway for moment, confusion clear on her face. Daniel continued to back out of the room, silently berating himself as the worst kind of person, practically a child molester! He refused to look at her again, looking so bereft and vulnerable swallowed up in one of his old t-shirts. He made a hasty retreat, babbling something like "goodnight," and fled the scene as he continued to reproach himself.

If Daniel had looked up, maybe he would have seen the pain in Haley's eyes; who was desperately trying to understand the complete revulsion on Daniel's face. He didn't look up, though, and so Haley was left with the dawning realization that she repulsed him. He was disgusted by what Haley had remembered, what Haley had done as a Goa'uld. As she buried her head in her hands, however, she had to admit that she didn't blame him. Now that the memories were beginning to creep back in, she could barely stand herself.

* * *

Haley did finally manage to drift back off to sleep, but she was troubled by strange images and half-remembered feelings. Needless to say, by the time the sun rose again the next morning, Haley was both relieved to see the end of the night and reluctant to face Daniel again. Other than the sharp image of blood running over her hands, none of the other memories had stuck, but they left Haley feeling dirty and slightly violated nonetheless. As she stood before the dresser mirror in the early morning light, her gaunt face seemed to be a thin mask; barely covering what Haley had begun to fear was a monster. She wondered if she really even knew who she was or what she was really capable of anymore. 

After long minutes standing in front of the mirror considering herself, Haley became aware of the sound of movements in the kitchen and the soft sound of coffee percolating. She forced herself to take a deep breath and then left the room, shoulders squared and face closed. She only hoped that she could maintain her façade, preparing herself to meet the disgust and fear in Daniel's eyes.

She walked out to the kitchen to find Daniel making breakfast.

"Morning, Haley," Daniel said neutrally, even as he carefully avoided meeting her eyes. "Coffee?"

Haley nodded mutely and moved past him to reach the coffee pot. Her arm brushed against Daniel's and she felt a strange surge.

'_I don't know why we wait, to tell people how we feel…' The words seem to be coming out of my mouth. I am no longer in Daniel's kitchen, but standing by a gurney in what I recognize as the Observation Room in the SGC. There is a figure wrapped extensively in gauze lying on the bed, hooked up to all sorts of monitors. I try to push away from the gruesome sight, but I have no control over my body. I stare in horror at the figure on the bed and suddenly I know. I know that it is Daniel and the he is dying a horrific death. My head begins to swim with emotions and thoughts that are not my own. I feel the pain and hopelessness of losing someone that is like a brother to me, angry at myself for never telling him how important he was in my life, how much it meant to me that he was always there for me, off-world and on. Tears that are not mine rush down my cheeks and I began to drown in a flow of emotions that I cannot control._

Haley opened her eyes to find herself leaning against the counter, her knuckles white as they relentlessly gripped the edge. She stared hard at the abstract pattern on the counter-top, willing her head to empty of foreign feelings and images. A soft plop of water onto the counter made her aware of the tears flowing down her face. She roughly swiped at them and took a deep breath, hoping to quell the pounding in her head.

"Haley?" Daniel's concerned voice broke through the fog swarming Haley's head. She forced her hand to grab a mug and casually fill it with coffee. She hoped that Daniel couldn't see that her hands were shaking. Taking a deep breath and forcing a smile on her face, she turned to regard Daniel.

Even as her smile seemed to reassure him that she was fine, Haley couldn't help but see Daniel's face wrapped in gauze, his expression full of pain. She turned away from him and stared into her coffee mug, as if hoping to find answers in the dark liquid. What had just happened? And when had Daniel died?

* * *

Monday morning found Haley feeling slightly better. She had managed to grab five hours of quality sleep and hadn't had any flashes, images or whatever they were since the evening before. By the time Jack and Sam made it back to the base, she had almost convinced herself that she had imagined the dreams and flashbacks. Besides, her mind was focused on the impending punishment for stranding them at the cabin together. It was far too much to hope that she would simply be given thanks; she knew she was going to have to pay. 

"Haley," Jack said sternly, when she reported to the briefing room as ordered. "If you _ever_ pull anything like that again, I will have you spending the rest of your life scrubbing every floor in this base!" He glared at her for a full minute, watching her squirm. Then he grabbed Haley into a giant bear hug and whispered softly into her ear, "Thanks for giving us a much needed kick in the ass, kiddo."

Haley couldn't help but smile.

* * *

The first thing Daniel noticed was that Jack and Sam were, for the first time in months, at ease with each other. They were smiling and joking. It warmed his heart to see his friends happy again. As he stood, smiling at them, however, his betrayal of them clinched down on his happiness. What would they say if they knew the thoughts he had been having about their daughter? That he had practically made a pass at her while she was under his care? 

Daniel thought that he should tell Jack and Sam about Haley's dream, that she might be remembering things. But in the end, guilt stayed his tongue.

If Jack or Sam had noticed any strange behavior from Daniel, neither of them mentioned it. Two days later, when Daniel requested permission to join the long-term research on PS6-976 in the Reynaul lab, Jack gave him a long look, but didn't pry. The research group had been pressuring to get Daniel there for months. After all, he was one of only two fluent speakers on the planet. Jack approved a two-week stay, assuming that Daniel maybe needed a break from all the action. They had all, after all, been through a lot in the last year or so.

As Daniel stepped up to the wormhole, he glanced back at the briefing room windows to find Haley watching him. He gave himself one moment to look at her, his eyes traveling over her features. This is for the best, he told himself firmly. And then he turned abruptly away from her and stepped into the waiting wormhole.


	15. Slipping

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Slipping  
Author: Annerb  
Rating: minor language  
Summary: Things aren't going as well as they seem.  
Classifications: Series, Drama, Angst  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
DisclaimerThe characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Alrighty, here we go! It's tough to fight what you are! As always I am eternally grateful to all of you following this story! Your feedback and comments keep me going. Montage and Triptnx- thanks!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

_**Part 15: Slipping**_

Daniel's two week assignment on PS6-976 stretched into three weeks and then four. He had been back occasionally to the base, to look at the rare interesting artifact brought back by an SG team, but overall Jack had barely seen him.

Jack looked up from yet another report from Daniel requesting two more weeks, to find Sam leaning against his door jam with a disturbingly familiar expression on her face.

Jack put up his hands. "No way, Carter. I don't want to hear it."

She smiled. "Is that a direct order, sir?"

Jack paused for a moment to wonder if Sam had always been this cheeky or if it was a recent development. "Don't tell me. She cancelled again."

Sam nodded.

Jack groaned and leaned back in his chair. "This is getting a little ridiculous."

"What do you want to do?"

"You mean besides kidnapping her and tying her to a chair?"

Sam's expression told him she didn't think that would go over well. "I'd say we should try to talk to her, but since we can't even get her on the phone these days…"

"If this keeps up, I'm going to get paranoid. Even Daniel seems to be avoiding us," Jack said, gesturing at the report on his desk.

"Don't tell me he's requested more time! He's already been there for four weeks!"

"What can I say, Carter. We've got some wayward children on our hands."

Sam snorted, imagining what Daniel would say if he heard Jack refer to him as one of his kids. "Too bad Daniel isn't here," Sam said. "He could probably get Haley to talk to him."

Jack stared broodingly at the offending report for a while before he looked up at Sam. "Okay. Enough's enough. Let's 'kill two birds with but one stone,'" he said in a passable impersonation of Teal'c.

"What do you have in mind, sir?" Sam asked, trying to decide if she should be frightened.

"I would appreciate it, Colonel, if you would retrieve your missing team member while I collect intelligence on the movements of our daughter."

Sam raised one eyebrow at the conspiratorial gleam in Jack's eyes. "Didn't realize your spy network was so far reaching, sir."

"If you only knew, Carter. If you only knew. Now go bring Daniel home."

"Yes, sir," Sam said with a smile.

* * *

Sam broke out of the woods to stroll into the clearing that now housed temporary buildings for the study of the Reynaul lab. The lab itself stood at the center, now clear of all overgrowth. Sam headed for the first building; the one she knew housed Daniel's lab space. 

Sam stood quietly at the threshold of Daniel's office for a while, taking in the clutter and books that covered every available space in great contrast to the rather stark white walls of the temporary structure. Daniel was hunched over a journal with open books spread all around him. Sam's first impression was that he looked tired.

Sam knocked on the door frame to get his attention.

Daniel swung around and blinked owlishly at her for a moment. "Sam?"

Sam smiled fondly at him. "Hey, Daniel." She really had missed him a lot these last few weeks.

Daniel seemed to have missed her too, because a wide grin covered his face. In the next instant, however, it had melted away. "What are you doing here?"

Sam's eyebrows rose at his tone. "Can't a girl just come see how her friend is doing?"

"Um…of course," Daniel said uncertainly before turning back to his work.

Sam suppressed a sigh and sat down across from Daniel. She watched him write for a while before finally asking, "Daniel…what are you doing here?"

Daniel didn't even look up. "I'm working, Sam."

Sam reached out and touched Daniel's arm. "No, Daniel. What are you _really_ doing here?"

"I don't know what you mean," he said, not quite meeting her eyes.

"Something's going on with you, Daniel," Sam said, before voicing her true fear. "Are you thinking of leaving SG-1?"

Now Daniel looked surprised. "No! Of course not. How could you think that?"

"You've been here for a month! And you just requested more time, which, by the way, has been denied. What am I supposed to think?"

Daniel grabbed Sam's hand. "I promise. This has nothing to do with SG-1," he said sincerely.

"Then what _does_ it have to do with?"

Daniel grimaced, probably realizing he had just revealed more than he wanted to. Rather than answering her, though, he just turned back to his work.

Daniel was supposed to be the easy-going one, but he could be just as stubborn as the rest of them when it came down to it. Sam sighed when it became clear that Daniel didn't want to discuss it. She decided to let it go and get to what she really came here to do.

"Daniel, we'd really like you to come back for a bit."

That got Daniel's attention. "What's up?"

"It's Haley."

"Is she okay?" Daniel asked quickly.

Sam had to suppress a smile at his evident concern. "We're not sure. When she moved to Denver she seemed fine, but lately-"

"She moved to Denver?"

"You didn't know?" Sam asked, genuinely surprised. "I sort of assumed she would tell you."

Daniel had looked back down at his desk. He just shook his head.

"Cassie needed a roommate and Haley jumped on the opportunity. She said she wanted a chance to try 'normal' for a while."

"And you and Jack were okay with that?"

Sam shrugged. "She's a grown woman, Daniel." Sam wasn't sure, but she thought Daniel might have flinched. Now her curiosity was really peaked. "Anyway, if she spent the rest of her life hanging around in Colorado Springs, I just know she would try to get involved in the program eventually. I don't think I could handle that."

"So why are you worried?"

"We didn't hear much from her in the beginning, but we thought that was normal. She was probably just busy settling in and everything. But it's been weeks now and no matter how many times we set something up, she cancels last minute. It's almost like she is avoiding us or something. We can't even get her on the phone these days for more than a few minutes. We're just concerned."

"And what exactly is it that you want me to do?"

Sam gazed archly at Daniel for a moment. "We thought you could talk to her. You two have always been close." Both of Sam's eyebrows flew up in surprise as Daniel jerkily knocked over his coffee mug. Daniel jumped up and grabbed a towel as the brown liquid slowly spread over his cluttered desk.

"God damn it!" he swore as he rescued one of his journals from the coming flood.

"Daniel!" Sam snapped. "What the _hell_ is going on with you?"

Daniel froze mid-motion and looked up at Sam. For a moment she thought he was finally going to tell her what was bugging him, but then he shook his head and mumbled, "You've been hanging around Jack too much lately."

Sam let out an irritated sigh and then silently helped Daniel rescue various artifacts and papers. Task completed, Daniel collapsed back into his chair.

"Did something happen, Daniel?" Sam asked eventually.

"She had a nightmare," Daniel said with a sigh. "Something about blood and being herself and yet not herself. It might have been a memory, I wasn't sure."

"What? Why didn't you tell us?" Sam tersely exclaimed.

"I…" He leaned down and put his head in his hands. "I should have, I'm sorry."

Sam was about to give him a piece of her mind when he abruptly stood up.

"This is my fault. I never should have left." Then he looked at Sam. "Give me five minutes to get some stuff together. I'll meet you at the gate." Then he dashed out of the room and Sam was left staring after him in confusion.

* * *

Jack was on the phone when Sam and Daniel walked in. Jack waved them in distractedly and went back to scribbling on a pad of paper. 

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Cass. I owe you one."

He listened for a moment and then laughed. "I'm sure you will. Alright, see you later."

Jack wrote down a few more things and then looked up at them. "Daniel. Nice to see you."

"Jack," Daniel stoically replied, acknowledging him with a stiff nod.

Jack shared a look with Sam, but she just shrugged, clearly still mystified by Daniel's recent behavior

"What's the plan, sir?"

Jack smiled mischievously and said, "Anyone up for a trip to a nice Denver pub?"

* * *

The pub in question was one of those trendy, somewhat gloomy British bars that had popped up in University towns everywhere the last few years. A long, dark wood bar covered the length of the side wall. In the back there was a raised platform on which the obligatory college bar band played. The rest of the room was filled with small tables where people were partaking of pints and various fried culinary delights from England. 

Jack, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c had settled in to a table in the corner by the front door. Jack was swiftly casing the joint with his eyes while Daniel sat somewhat nervously next to him. Sam would have laughed if she hadn't been so worried about her daughter.

"She could really just be busy," Sam said hopefully, more to herself than anyone else.

"It's possible, Carter," Jack replied, but he didn't sound like he believed it anymore than she did. They both just felt that something was wrong.

Teal'c, meanwhile, had been looking around the place in interest. Looking up from the slightly stained plastic menu, he asked "O'Neill, what exactly is 'bangers and mash'?"

Sam suppressed a smile as she listened with half an ear to Jack explaining the intricacies of pub food to Teal'c.

Just then, however, Sam caught a movement from behind the bar. Haley had just pushed out of a pair of swinging doors, holding a plate of food in each hand. Her hair was thrown somewhat carelessly into a bun with what looked like a pencil stuck in it. She wore trim black pants with a small apron at her waist and a tight t-shirt that had a bright British flag on the front.

Haley approached one of the tables nearest the bar and put the plates down. The three guys sitting at the table spoke animatedly to her, one of them seemingly trying to convince her to sit down in an empty chair. Haley just shook her head and laughed. She seemed at ease, talking to the customers with a smile on her face.

Sam felt herself relax. She really did seem to be doing fine. They had probably overreacted. Another table closer to Sam waved Haley over and she slowly wound her way over to them.

Sam could tell the second Haley noticed their presence. She didn't even look their way, but she stiffened slightly as she undoubtedly felt the tingling awareness of naquadah that Sam herself was quite familiar with. Haley's smiling mask only slipped for a moment, but Sam thought she saw surprise and something akin to panic on her daughter's face.

In the next instant, Haley was smiling brightly again and writing down orders. She went back to the bar and spoke to the bartender. When the bartender turned away to make drinks, Haley raised one hand to her head and grimaced slightly. The bartender touched her arm and spoke to her with concern. Haley didn't acknowledge him; instead she turned and looked right past Sam, a strange look of vulnerability on her face. Sam followed her gaze to find her looking at Daniel, who was staring straight back at her.

Somehow a few things finally made more sense to Sam.

Haley was once again talking to the bartender, having turned abruptly away from them. Haley glanced at her watch and shook her head. They spoke for a few more minutes before Haley undid her apron and handed it to the bartender with a grateful smile.

Waiting for Haley to make her way over to them, Sam was taken by surprise when Haley made a hasty move for the rear exit.

Jack didn't seem as surprised, though, because he signaled Teal'c and the large man instantly set out the front door at a jog.

Jack sighed heavily and looked at Sam. "Why does it always have to be Plan B?"

* * *

Haley pushed out of the rear exit of the pub to run smack into Teal'c. A few seconds later, Sam, Jack and Daniel rounded the corner into the alley. "Damn military," Haley grumbled before shoving past Teal'c and heading down the other end of the alley. 

"Hey, Haley!" Jack called out, following her. "Let's all go find a diner and get some pie."

Haley paused without turning around. "Sorry, guys, but it's late. I have class early tomorrow morning."

"Haley," stepped in Sam, "we haven't seen you in weeks. Can't we just talk for a bit?"

"Sorry, I really can't."

Now Jack was beginning to get annoyed. Since when did Haley act like an ungrateful teenager? He jogged up to Haley and grabbed her arm, forcing her to look at him. "Haley, we have been patient, we've given you room, but you can't avoid us forever!"

"I'm not avoiding you!" she exclaimed, even as her eyes evaded contact with Jack's. "I'm sorry I've been busy, but it's called having a life. Something you may have heard of," she added harshly.

Now Jack knew something was wrong. Haley was never cruel.

Having moved closer to Haley, Sam noticed for the first time how sickly Haley looked. She was pale, with dark circles under her eyes carefully disguised with make-up. Slight panic was still visible in Haley's eyes. Sam reached out to touch Haley, concern evident on her face.

Haley flinched away from the touch and took a step back from her parents.

"Seriously, Haley. I think you need to tell us what's going on," Sam said.

"Nothing is going on, Sam! I'm doing great. I have a job. I'm taking classes. Hell, I even have friends! I am living a nice normal life, like a nice normal girl."

Haley's emphatic insistence that everything was okay, even though every signal was telling them there was something wrong, reminded Sam of her own blind attachment to the idea of having a 'normal' life.

"Then why don't you look happy?" Sam asked softly. Haley turned and glared at Sam, but didn't answer. "You seemed to be rather attached to the idea of a 'normal' life."

"Because this is who I was supposed to be!" Haley exploded. "Don't you get it? This is who I would have been, if they had never…if they hadn't made me…" Her voice broke off abruptly and she doubled over with both hands pressed to her head.

_The acid burns through my clothing and then my skin, the acrid smell of smoldering flesh fills my nostrils. A deep voice comes out of the darkness asking questions that I don't know the answers to. "What was the name of the symbiote?" The question is asked of me over and over. "I don't know," I grind out of my parched mouth. I want to tell him, I just don't know. "Tell me the name!" The burning digs deeper and deeper into me, and I feel my lungs failing. Desperately, I search my brain and finally the name comes…_

"Kanan!" Haley gasped out loud, her forehead beaded with sweat and her body gently shaking with the power of the memory. Haley's chest continued to heave as she tried to regain control, trying not to retch. She slowly raised her head to find the others clustered around her, faces full of concern. All but Jack, who stood a step away from the rest of them, a look of utter horror on his face.

Jack looked slightly panicked as he demanded, "What in the hell was that?"

Haley shrugged off the concerned hands and stepped further away from everyone. "It's nothing. I just need you all to leave me alone." There was a slight note of pleading in her voice.

Daniel, however, had other plans. He considered Haley for a long moment, as if he was connecting the dots. "That was a memory, wasn't it? Just like the nightmare you had that night. And now they are happening while you are awake."

"Are you saying that, just then, she saw my memory? Of Baal?" Jack asked incredulously.

"I'd say it's more like she is living them, judging from her reaction," Daniel observed in a strained voice.

Haley's eyes darted to Daniel for a moment before she turned back to her parents with wide eyes. She continued to slowly increase the distance between them. "Please," she pleaded softly, "it's easier if I am not around all of you."

"That's why you have been avoiding us, that's why you insisted on moving out of Colorado Springs, because our memories have been haunting you," alleged Sam.

Daniel stepped closer to Haley, who looked more and more on the edge of full-out panic as every moment passed. "They haven't stopped, though, have they? Even avoiding them hasn't made it stop."

"Like you even care," Haley snapped back at him, before pressing her hands against her face. She continued in a defeated voice, "Just leave me alone, please. This isn't your concern."

"Haley," he said softly as he continued to move towards her. "Let us help you. You don't have to do this alone."

He moved to put a comforting hand on Haley's shoulder, but this seems to have been the wrong move. To everyone's surprise, Haley suddenly lifted Daniel with superhuman strength. She grabbed him by the neck with one hand and slammed him into the brick wall of the alley. Her voice low and gravelly, she bit out a string of words in Goa'uld. Her eyes were hard as they bored into Daniel's eyes. It was as if Haley was a stranger all of a sudden.

The others moved to pull Haley off Daniel, but before they could reach them, Haley's face suddenly changed again. She looked at Daniel in utter horror and quickly released him. Daniel slid down the wall, struggling to find his breath.

Haley stepped back slowly, one hand covering her mouth, her eyes full of tears. Gently shaking, she kneeled next to Daniel, one tremulous hand reaching out to touch his face but stopping just short. "Oh god, Daniel," she whispered, tears now streaming down her face.

"It's okay, Haley," he managed to gasp out.

Haley just shook her head. "No, it's really not." She looked him in the eye and repeated the same plea she had used that night so many weeks before, "I don't want this to be me."

"I know," Daniel said softly. Then he pulled the sobbing Haley into his arms and just held her, no longer caring who might be watching.


	16. Entropy

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Entropy  
Author: Annerb  
Rating:  minor language, violence  
Summary: It's getting a little crowded in here…  
Classifications: Series, Drama, S/J, D/O Angst  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
DisclaimerThe characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-1, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Special thanks to Montage and Triptnx. Drive slowly, curves and cliff(hanger)s ahead!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

**_Part 16: Entropy _**

They all piled into Sam's car, Haley sandwiched in the back between Jack and Daniel. Haley had not said a word since they had left the alleyway, but her hands still shook gently and a soft sheen of sweat dotted her face. She stared out straight ahead, watching the freeway traffic.

"Have you ever really thought about driving?" Haley suddenly asked the silent car.

"Driving?" Sam asked.

Haley nodded, never taking her eyes off the road ahead. "It really is quite a thrill. I'm not talking about the speed, more about the control. You have countless individuals driving heavy machines at high speeds. They all drive along, everyone in their lanes. But have you ever thought about what keeps them inside those imaginary lines? What keeps them from just twiddling the wheel and plowing into another car? Self-preservation? The vague threat of laws and punishment? More likely it is only a thin veil of civility and morality that keeps our darkest instincts in check. It's like a strip of saran wrap, holding us all in our lines, just waiting for it to rupture. Just waiting for someone to drive into on-coming traffic."

Complete silence greeted Haley's speech.

She shook her head. "Sorry. It's getting a little…weird in here," she said, rubbing at her temples.

Daniel wanted to tell her that everything was going to be okay, but the words caught in his throat.

Haley looked away from the freeway and began digging through her purse, eventually pulling out a prescription bottle. Her hands trembled, making the contents rattle.

Sam glanced in the rearview mirror. "What is that, Haley?"

"It's nothing," Haley mumbled, trying to wrestle open the top. "I just need a little help."

Sam's eyes met Jack's in the mirror and he leaned over and took the bottle from Haley. "Lithium?" he read out incredulously.

"It helps," Haley said with a sigh. She leaned her head forward into her hands.

"Haley?" Daniel asked with concern, placing one hesitant hand on her back.

"I'm just so tired," she mumbled through her hands.

"We know, Haley, we know. But we're going to help you."

Jack passed the pills up to Teal'c and then pulled Haley back to lean on his shoulder. "Just rest," he whispered against her hair. "We've got you."

Haley gratefully leaned into him, closing her eyes. "It's good to be home," she sighed quietly.

* * *

With Haley settled in an infirmary bed, Jack paced the length of Dr. Warner's office, trying to suppress the nostalgic urge for a certain Napoleonic power-mongerer with steady hands and sharp, intelligent eyes. 

Dr. Warner stood staring in total disbelief at the chart in front of him. "Her lithium levels are amazingly high. I'll have to take her off of it. If we don't do it now, she's risking kidney and liver failure. With levels like this, I honestly don't know how she has lasted this long."

"But what about the memories?" Jack asked somewhat impatiently.

"I honestly have no idea. Her physiology is so unique. We might just have to wait and see."

Jack obviously didn't like that answer.

"I've given her something to help her sleep for now."

Sam, meanwhile, strolled into the office. "Sir, permission to contact the Tok'ra. I think Selmak somehow knew this was going to happen."

"Yeah, of course, Carter," Jack said, waving her out of the room. With one last look at Dr. Warner, Jack joined Daniel out in the infirmary.

Nurse Yamada was circling around Daniel, who kept swatting her away, insisting that he was fine. She gave Jack an imploring look, but he just shook his head. "Daniel's got a thick skull. If he says he's alright, I'm sure he is."

Jack settled into a chair next to Haley's bed. She looked deceptively peaceful. The illusion was somewhat tainted by the sallow look to her face under the harsh lights. Makeup was no longer hiding the black smudges under her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jack," Daniel said softly.

"For what?"

"I should have said something. I should have known somehow…"

"And why is that?"

"Maybe if I had been here…"

Jack shook his head. "Daniel, none of us saw this. Not even Cassie. And she lived with her everyday. Haley spent a lot of time hiding this from us."

"I wonder where she learned that," Daniel observed, his voice free of malice.

Jack smiled slightly, hoping that the O'Neill-Carter stubbornness would also serve her well.

Walter came in a few minutes later, his arms full of folders. "Now's not really the time, Walter," Jack snapped.

"But, sir-"

"Ah ah! I said not now!"

"Jack, go. I'll stay with her in case she wakes up," Daniel offered. Walter gave Daniel a grateful look.

Jack sighed, really hating his job. "You'll call me the second there is any change?"

"I promise."

* * *

Haley opened her eyes to find Daniel sitting by her bed scribbling in a book. She winced as she took in the purple bruising around his neck, knowing that she had done that. 

"Daniel," she said softly.

"Hey," he said back, looking up from his journal.

Haley glanced at his neck again and opened her mouth to apologize, but Daniel had already raised a hand to stop her. "It wasn't your fault, Haley. You know that."

Haley just swallowed back the tears that suddenly threatened and looked up at the ceiling.

"Why did you come back?" Haley managed to ask after a while in a thick voice.

Daniel shifted in his chair a bit before saying, "Jack and Sam were worried about you. They thought you might talk to me."

Haley snorted.

"What?"

"You left because of me, why would you possibly want to come back just to talk to me?"

"Haley, I didn't-"

"Don't, Daniel," Haley cut him off. "I'm not nearly as naïve as some people seem to think I am."

Daniel sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. "When did everything get so mixed up?"

"Yeah, because up to now, things have been so simple," Haley noted sardonically.

"I'm sorry, Haley. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you. I just…" His voice trailed off.

"It's okay. I don't blame you."

"Blame me?"

"For not wanting to be around me," Haley said softly, placing one arm across her face.

"Haley-," Daniel started to say, but Haley's body had become completely rigid, her hands covering her face.

After almost a minute, she roughly sat up in bed. "No!" she cried in a low voice. Breathing heavily, she looked around the room, remembering where she was. Daniel was staring at her with eyes wide with concern. She collapsed back in the bed and concentrated on calming her breathing.

"Damn it, Daniel!" Haley finally said, swiping at a renegade tear. "Exactly how many times _have_ you died?"

"What?"

"That morning in your apartment, I was with you when you died. You were covered in gauze and you were in so much pain. And now, there was fire everywhere; there was no chance. I couldn't…" Her voice broke and she came to an abrupt stop.

Daniel appeared to be struck silent.

"God, they are so real. And I can't make them stop." Haley hated the tears that she couldn't hold back and the desolate sound to her voice. But then Daniel had moved from his seat and his arms were around her. She grabbed onto him as if he was an anchor, something that could hold her steady in the growing tempest of her mind.

"I missed you, Daniel," she brokenly confessed.

"Yeah, me too, Haley. Me too," Daniel said earnestly, pressing his face into her hair.

* * *

"I think you misunderstood," Haley said softly, her voice causing Sam to jump. 

"Haley?" She looked closely at her daughter, who was awake for the first time in nearly ten hours. Haley's eyes were bloodshot and her hands still shook. Her lithium levels were slowly dropping and the memories were becoming more and more persistent.

"On the Prometheus," Haley clarified, ignoring the look of concern on Sam's face. "You got it all wrong. Which is kind of funny, because you were talking to yourself the whole time."

"I take it you just experienced that memory."

"Yeah."

"So what exactly did I get so wrong?" Sam asked, curious as to another person's take on an event she had never shared with anyone.

"Jacob said that you should let go of the things keeping you from being happy. And Jack told you that he wasn't the problem."

Sam nodded.

"You thought they meant you should let go of him, when they were both telling you to stop being scared and just go for it. Don't you think that's funny? You were deluding yourself."

"Didn't seem so funny at the time…"

"I'm just glad that you both finally woke up. I want…I want so badly for you both to be okay, no matter what happens to me."

"Haley…"

"Please don't say that everything is going to be okay."

Sam sighed and closed her mouth. They both sat silently together for a while before Sam finally said, "Can I ask you something…about that time on the Prometheus?"

"Sure."

"The little girl…Grace. Was that you?"

Haley stared at Sam for a long moment before turning away to look intently at the ceiling. "No," she finally said softly. "Maybe I could have been…but no. The Goa'uld took all that chance from me, from us."

Haley closed her eyes and pressed her hands to her ears as if to block out the thoughts and feelings that assaulted her. "They did this to me…and I don't think I can be like this, Sam. I don't know how…"

Sam grabbed Haley and hugged her tight. "I'm so sorry, Haley. I am so sorry."

* * *

In the next 24 hours, Haley got considerably worse. She had rare moments of clarity, but they were few and far between. Now she seemed to live in an almost permanent state of nightmare and hallucination, various memories preying on her. They were not just Jack and Sam's memories, either. Daniel had noticed 12 distinct languages already, most of which he had never heard before. 

Haley tossed and turned, occasionally crying out. During the second night she began to pace the room, talking in strange languages. Once, she attacked a nurse, cursing at her in Goa'uld. She was kept in soft restraints from that point on.

Jack and Sam now sat in the observation room, looking down at their mercifully quiet child. Jack had not said much since this new development, just growing more and more frustrated as the doctors were unable to give them any answers.

"Maybe Selmak will be able to help," Sam said softly.

Jack nodded absently.

Sam sighed softly and rested her head in her hands. Hadn't they all been through enough already? She felt Jack tense next to her and looked up to see Haley staining against her restraints. She was mumbling something that neither of them could make out. A couple of minutes later though, her eyes flew open and she screamed, very clearly, "Charlie!"

Jack flinched like he had been slapped. Sam could see his hands on the counter, clenched tightly into fists, his knuckles turning white.

She wanted to comfort him, to put her arm around him, but she was scared of being rebuffed. She wasn't sure she could handle that on top of everything else. But she did refuse to leave him. She sat there, her shoulder gently touching his, hoping that her presence was enough.

As if he read her mind, Jack blindly groped for Sam's hand, squeezing it tightly.

"I hate this," he ground out quietly. "Every horrible thing I've done, every nasty thing we've witnessed…that's all hurting her. I can't help but feel that it's my fault."

"Our fault," Sam reminded him.

Jack looked at Sam for a long moment and pulled her against him, one arm around her shoulders. "No," he whispered. "They did this. They did this to our little girl."

Sam nodded against his chest.

When Walter came in fifteen minutes later, to let Jack know that Jacob had just gated in, he didn't even blink at the position he found them in.

"I'll go," Jack said quietly against the top of Sam's head. He squeezed her once more and then pulled away, really hoping that Jacob would have some answers for them.

* * *

Twelve hours later Haley had slipped into complete stillness. She no longer mumbled or stirred, but simply lay in deathly immobility. Jacob tightened his arm around Sam as they watched nurses remove Haley's restraints and hook her up to machines. 

The cascading avalanche of memories seemed to be shutting down Haley's brain, eerily familiar to the times Jack had had the Ancient's knowledge downloaded. Considering Haley had all that knowledge plus countless others, Jacob wasn't too surprised that it had come to this. It seemed an inevitable end to the Goa'uld's meddling.

Jack stood some paces apart from them, his face completely unreadable. He'd had a hard time accepting that there was nothing the Tok'ra could do. Maybe the Asgard could have helped, but they were still stretched thin, chasing down the last of the Replicators, rebuilding everything they had lost.

Jack had not said a word to anyone since Dr. Warner had shaken his head sadly and informed them that there was nothing left to do but make her comfortable and hope that somehow her special brain chemistry could adapt to the situation.

Jacob knew the only thing he could do was be there for his daughter. 'This isn't fair,' Jacob thought somewhat petulantly to Selmak. 'They've been through so much as it is!'

'There is only one thing left to do, before it is too late,' Selmak said sadly, firmly suppressing Jacob's shocked response.

* * *

It was after 3 am when Jacob Carter slipped into his granddaughter's room with a stolen pass card. He stood for long moments watching her as she slept. He resisted the urge to touch her face, fearing the softness of her skin might break him. 

Eventually, he leaned down and pulled a long ceremonial blade from his boot. Gripping the knife with both hands, he slowly raised his arms high above his granddaughter's bed. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, he determinedly plunged the knife towards her heart with steady hands.


	17. Catalyst

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Catalyst  
Author: Annerb  
Rating: Not for the kiddies! Language, violence, torture and implied non-con  
Summary: Someone should have told him that it isn't wise to wake sleeping giants.  
Classifications: Series, Drama, Action  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Short, but nasty. What did we really think would happen to a Goa'uld captive? This bit isn't very pleasant, but it feeds into later plots. Oh, and sorry for my new cliffhanger obsession, but I told you there was one big twist left! This part is dedicated to Lauren and her Goa'uld obsession. :)

Feedback: Always appreciated!

**_Part 17: Catalyst_**

Haley woke to find herself surrounded by humming, white light. She stretched her hands out experimentally to feel walls on all sides, pressing close into her body. She was trapped, encased. She fought the panic threatening to rise in her throat and forced herself to take slow, even breaths. Closing her eyes, she imagined the wide stretching sands of a beach and the endless open waters of an ocean.

Just as her mind finally began to calm, the humming abruptly stopped. The grinding sound of rock sliding against rock broke through her mental image. She kept her eyes tightly closed, briefly submitting to the childish whim that if she couldn't see it, it didn't exist.

"Ahh…Look what you've done to yourself!" exclaimed a chillingly familiar voice.

Haley's eyes flew open; focusing on a pair of elegantly manicured hands reaching over the edge of what Haley suddenly realized was a sarcophagus. Oh god, how had she ended up back here? It must be a dream.

She didn't realize she had spoken out loud until Enki answered her in his disturbingly cheerful voice. "Oh, my dear, you tried to make a fool of Baal. Don't you remember?"

One hand left the edge and lifted slowly to Enki's face. Haley couldn't help but follow its path. She gasped when she saw Enki's face. He had always been handsome in a boyish sort of way. Intelligence sparkled from brown eyes and his golden hair fell in soft, careless waves. Enki wasn't nearly as vain as most Goa'uld, but he knew that his host had charm.

But now, as Haley followed the trajectory of that one fine hand, she saw that it trembled gently as it reached his face. It carefully caressed a rough crevice that had once been the home to one of his brown eyes.

"It is not wise to make Baal angry," he intoned, all of his previous merriment gone. "It was because of you, you know. He had to punish me for letting you escape through the Chappa'ai."

All Haley could think was that this can't really be happening.

Enki then laughed heartily and smiled, causing his scar to stretch and twitch grotesquely. "But let's not dwell on that, okay? You're back now, where you belong." Then he tsked at her and reached out to touch her cheek. Haley automatically flinched away from his touch. "Look what you've done to your beautiful face…"

Enki passed Haley a small hand mirror and she could see what he was talking about. A rough scar reached across her neck and onto the lower part of her cheek. "Too much damage for it to heal completely," he admonished again.

Memories quickly assaulted Haley as she stared at her ravaged face. Jacob and Daniel, backing into the Stargate. Terror, determination and a little bit of pride mixing in her gut. Her finger pressing on a small trigger. And then, rather than the expected nothingness, a massive explosion near her ear. The weapon had backfired. She had been dead then, she was almost certain. But they had brought her back.

Haley shut her eyes and tried to quell her rising terror. No one even knew she was here, they must believe her to be dead. Now the one thing she had worked so hard against had come true, she was in the hands of the Goa'uld once more. And this time, there was no escape.

In the distance, Haley could hear Enki continuing to prattle on brightly, as if they were long separated friends. "…he was so mad! Your little bomb also took out a good amount of his guard, something else you will have to pay for…"

Hands came and forced her to step out of the sarcophagus. She stumbled slightly and Enki took hold of her arm. "I'm sorry I can't protect you from this, my pet. You really shouldn't have tried to cross him."

Two Jaffa stepped forward to escort Haley to see Baal, she presumed.

"You'll survive, my sweet," Enki said as she was taken away. "You always survive."

Haley could only hope that he was wrong.

But survive, Haley did. She made a conscious effort to fade out, to ignore what was being done to her body. Knives pierced her flesh, acid ate her skin and pain sticks prodded her relentlessly. The days blurred into weeks, until they no longer meant anything. The humming white light of the sarcophagus was the only marker of passing time. One death, two death, three death, four.

The sarcophagus was beginning to affect her mind, but Haley just built a wall in her head and began stuffing all the things she could never tell Baal behind it. It was only after she had lost count of her deaths that she realized that he had never even asked her a question.

Shortly later, the torture suddenly stopped, only to be replaced by something worse. Enki was back, his voice jovial and worshipful as he asked her to share her secrets. Haley shut him out, refusing to speak. He just smiled softly at her, his eyes full of admiration that made her stomach clench.

He was careful to never leave any marks. He didn't want to damage his 'masterpiece,' his ultimate creation. He whispered of her endless potential, greatness that she still had left to achieve. She tried to ignore his hands on her skin and his breath harsh in her ear. He always sighed and called her 'my pet' with wistful reverence.

Then one day Baal was back, ending what he called Enki's 'playtime.' Haley only resurfaced long enough to stare in horror at an ornate urn and scream in agony as her body was invaded.

Haley quickly discovered that she could hole herself away in a small corner of her mind that Anat seemed incapable of reaching. Haley carefully hoarded her secrets there, even as Anat continued to slowly chip away at her defenses. Anat plied Baal with their body, trying to keep him from noticing that she was in a constant battle to subdue her host. Haley could feel her fear, that Baal might not deem her worthy of this 'special' host.

Then one day her family was there, kneeling at her feet. The thought of them seeing her like this made her sick. 'Please,' she begged, 'please don't show them my face.'

She could feel Anat's pleasure in ignoring her plea. 'Don't you want them to know you live still?'

As her mother's eyes widened with shock, Haley pulled quietly back into her corner, silently weeping.

When next she dared emerge from her self-imposed exile, Haley felt the cold metal of a knife in their palm. Another nightmare hovered before her. Haley could see the horror in Jack's face as he hung from the wall in front of her. But in his eyes, he was offering her atonement. She could read his forgiveness there.

Haley refused to release the knife, she refused to simply retreat again. 'No! I won't do it!'

'Why do you struggle so strongly, human?' Haley could feel Anat digging into her mind, curious as to her attachment to Jack. Haley couldn't let her know, she couldn't allow her admission to her vault of information. She focused solely on her fortified walls, denying Anat access.

Baal's impatient drawl distracted Anat from her goal. Haley pulled their arm down and she could feel Anat trying to divert Baal. She didn't want him to know that she struggled with her host. Haley tried to ignore the feel of Baal's hands on their flesh. But then his voice was whispering in their ear. "…my pet."

In that moment, something snapped. Haley had been hanging by a thread for so long, fighting Anat with everything she had. But asking her to kill her father and to submit, even now, to Baal, it was too much.

Mentally, she launched herself at Anat, tearing down all of the walls. Haley felt Anat quail in fear before her rage and then her body was shifting and Baal's blood was flowing over her hands. All Haley could think was that he deserved this and worse. Memories danced around in her head. Baal torturing Jack, ripping Haley from her mother's womb and a thousand other nameless atrocities. His hands, carving his name into her flesh.

Haley could hear herself taunting him, reveling in his obvious fear and confusion. He was demanding to know why. And so she whispered gently in his ear, "You know what I am, Baal. You have given vengeance form; you have woken the nameless menace. I will cleanse this galaxy with blood and flame, starting with you." Even as she said it, she knew it was true. The trembling in his shoulders increased as she spoke, the air full of the metallic tang of his blood.

She sat back on her heels and offered one final taunt, "Bet we're wishing we had taken the rules a bit more seriously now, aren't we, brother." She then leaned in close and offered him the soft benediction of a kiss before feeling the snap of his neck against her palm.

The flush of vengeance began to slightly fade and Haley stared in horror at what she had done. Jack called her name, but she can barely hear him. 'What have I done?' Anat took advantage of her stunned motionlessness to wrench control of their body back.

But Haley was still bewildered, now feeling Anat's revulsion and confusion alongside her own. With her carefully built walls now in disarray, memories, voices and feelings wandered vicariously through their mind. Haley tried to suppress them, not wanting to let Anat see them.

But Enki's disembodied voice whispered to her. 'My greatest creation. You still don't understand your role. Your potential is still untapped.' His voice haunted her. She was unable to stop the words, unaware of time passing, until she felt Anat trying to kill Daniel.

'Please, not Daniel,' she begged.

'You have forced my hand. Their blood is on your hands, not mine,' Anat snapped back, her fury a bright flame in their mind.

'I won't let you do this,' Haley bit back, feeling her own anger rising in response.

But Anat just laughed, "Nothing of the host remains."

Haley launched herself at Anat once more, pushing aside her fear. She had to save Daniel, at any cost. But the rage was building again in response, sweeping Haley along with it. She was aware of the need to destroy him, even as she tried to save him. She had become a monster.

"Kill me," she begged, but they do not seem to hear her.

Enki was there again, inside her head. His voice whispering. His feelings flowing over her. 'This is what you are meant to be, my pet. This is who you are.'

'No,' she thought weakly, but the voices only grew more insistent. The memories continued to compound in her mind. So much death, so much pain. And underneath it all, a growing fury.

'Don't fight it, my child. It is your fate.'

'I know,' Haley sighed mournfully before the waters of her rage rose over her head and swept her away.

Enki's voice was her constant companion through the chaos, finally making a command that she could not ignore: 'Now, wake up!'

* * *

Haley's eyes snapped open and her arm automatically rose to efficiently stop the downward momentum of the knife towards her chest. The wide eyes of her attacker betrayed his surprise and she felt her lips curve into an answering smile. 

'This is who I am,' she thought. No more running, no more struggle. An easy flick of her wrist and the man screamed, nearly obscuring the satisfying, delicate sound of his bones snapping.

"You should have killed me while you had the chance," she remarked darkly.

With ease, she quickly reversed their positions. Now she stood tall over her attacker, knife pressed to his throat. She felt a thrill of pleasure at his obvious fear. "You should have made sure I never survived the removal of the symbiote, but you let your host's humanity get in the way. A weakness you will live only long enough to regret, I promise you."

Haley rustled through his clothes and pulled out the stolen security card. Her captive's eyes darted quickly between the partially ajar door and her face. She smiled wider. "But for now, I just want to thank you for giving me a way out."

Her fist smashed into her grandfather's face with a satisfying crunch, and then she was gone.

Everything flowed through her head with ease as she walked the halls of the SGC. She had but to think of something and the knowledge was there, waiting for her. Memories shuffled orderly into place. Her body responded to the merest trace of a thought, moving quicker than she would have thought possible. She was finally at equilibrium, everything in its place. All walls were down and the path lay clear at her feet.

This time, she didn't pause at the threshold of the wormhole, not even when he called her name.


	18. Ishmael

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Ishmael  
Author: Annerb  
Rating: Little bit of profanity, violence  
Summary: Daniel scrambles to find answers and the truth will change everything they thought they knew.  
Classifications: Series, Drama, Action  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Disclaimer The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Really sorry about the long wait. Thanks to Montage and Triptnx for kicking me out of my fic loss-of-faith. Without them, this might have stayed WIP. Writers are such fragile beings! ;p This story line came out of a bunch of questions I had about the Goa'uld civilization that haven't been addressed on the show. So I came up with my own answers. Hope you find it as interesting as I did. Thanks for all the great FB!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

**_Part 18: Ishmael_**

Daniel rolled over for the umpteenth time and finally gave up on any pretense of sleeping with a sigh. After three days with no sleep, Dr. Warner had banned them all from Haley's room, ordering them all to rest. None of them had left quietly, but Dr. Warner was a hard man to argue with when he really set his foot down. And so it was that Daniel had spent the last two hours staring at the ceiling when he wasn't tossing around impatiently.

With a final curse that Daniel thought might have impressed even Jack, he pushed back the covers and began pulling on his clothes. It was hopeless, not to mention ridiculous. Who could possibly sleep at a time like this? Lacing up his shoes, Daniel decided that he would hit the commissary for some coffee and then figure out a way to talk the SFs into letting him into Haley's room. If he was going to have insomnia, he'd rather have it sitting by her side. Laying here in the dark was only going to drive him crazy.

Daniel slipped into the empty, early morning hallways. He didn't run into another soul all the way to the commissary. As he walked, his thoughts inextricably turned to Haley once again. He had been more than a little surprised by her desperate grip and soft confession earlier. When he went off to PS6-976 he hadn't really thought about how it would affect Haley, he had just needed to get away. But she had been left facing her memories on her own, erroneously believing that he thought poorly of her for what she had suffered.

Daniel had wanted to shake her for being silly enough to think that he cared about anything the Goa'uld had done to her. But instead, he had held her while she wept. She had fallen asleep like that and Daniel had never managed to get another moment alone with her.

And now she lay in a coma, unaware of the real reasons Daniel had avoided her: his ludicrous fear of Jack and Sam's reaction, not to mention his own disbelief that Haley could really feel anything for him. It was all so confusing and mixed up. Pouring himself a coffee, Daniel determinedly headed towards Haley's room, needing to see her and explain, even if she wouldn't be able to hear him.

Daniel rounded the corner to see two unconscious SFs slumped on the floor by the open door of Haley's room. Coffee fell from senseless fingers as Daniel dashed into the room to find Jacob gracelessly sprawled on the floor, his arm at an odd angle and his face showing the beginnings of a blooming bruise. As Daniel knelt to check his pulse, his eyes darted to the ominously empty bed with growing unease.

Upon satisfying himself that Jacob was in no immediate danger, Daniel headed back out into the hall and hit the alarm, grabbing the phone next to it to order medical attention for Jacob and the guards. Task completed, Daniel continued down the hall, the flashing red alarm lights eerily illuminating more unconscious bodies littering the floor.

Up further on the left, the door to an armory stood ajar and Daniel's stomach filled with dread. He broke into a run, noting absently that his current path lead straight to the gateroom. Bursting into the room, he found Haley standing at the base of the active gate, adjusting the P-90 that was just one of many weapons strapped to her body. He glanced up at the control room to see bewildered techs scrambling around.

Movement on the ramp brought Daniel's eyes back to Haley. She was moving calmly towards the wormhole, as if alarms weren't blaring all around her.

"Haley!" Daniel called out.

She must have heard him, but she didn't even pause. She stepped purposively through the gate without looking back.

Daniel was about to submit to the sudden need to follow her when the wormhole blinked out and the entire mountain plunged into darkness.

* * *

It had taken twenty minutes just to get the lights back on, and judging from the confused looks on Siler and Sam's faces, it would take even longer to get the dialing computer back up. Jack knew that there was no way to follow Haley. By the time they finally got everything running again, she would be long gone, which he could only assume was the whole point of her sabotage. But the whole purpose behind her impromptu flight was still a big mystery. Where had she gone and why? 

They all gathered together in the briefing room to try to make sense of what had just happened. Jacob, Sam and Daniel were seated at the large table. Sam was watching her father with concern and Daniel looked completely shell-shocked.

Jack stared at Jacob with his arm in a sling and a nasty bruise on his cheek. He looked like he had been taken through the wringer. He had not said a word to anyone since he had regained consciousness in the infirmary. He sat still as stone staring straight ahead.

Jack shared a glance with Sam but she just shrugged, clearly mystified by his behavior, too.

"Jacob, what the hell happened?" Jack demanded for the fifth time in as many minutes.

"I think I can provide the answer to that, O'Neill," Teal'c said as he walked into the briefing room with two SFs right behind him.

Jack eyed the extra security with curiosity, but decided that Teal'c probably had his reasons when the man made no move to explain them.

Teal'c looked at Jacob for a long moment and the Tok'ra seemed to stiffen slightly under the Jaffa's gaze. Teal'c held up a tape. "The surveillance cameras recorded the event in question."

Jack gestured for Teal'c to pop the tape into the player. As the scene slowly played out, Jack felt his confusion mounting. When the tape showed Jacob pull out a long, wicked looking blade, Sam gasped. They watched the ensuing scuffle in complete silence. After Haley fled the room, Teal'c stopped the tape.

It only took mere moments for Jack to get over his shock. Then he was grabbing Jacob roughly by the collar of his shirt and yelling at him in the face. "Just what the _hell_ did you think you were doing!"

No one moved to pull Jack off Jacob; they were all still too stunned. Why would Jacob try to kill his own granddaughter?

Jacob stared back at Jack for long moments. Then his eyes narrowed. "I did what needed to be done."

But the harsh voice that came out was not Jacob's. It was Selmak's.

"Selmak?" Sam asked with disbelief.

Selmak glanced briefly at Sam before turning back to Jack. "My only regret is that I have failed," she said defiantly, showing not an iota of contrition.

Jack was just about to give into the urge to knock Selmak back to last Tuesday when Daniel's voice broke through his concentration.

"You son of a bitch," Daniel said with quiet intensity, not looking up from the table on which his fists were clenched in fury.

Daniel so rarely used profanity that the whole room turned to stare at him in shock.

Daniel finally looked up and continued in a quiet and controlled voice that Jack imagined meant he was barely holding on to the last threads of his temper. Daniel rarely got _really_ angry and when he did, it was a sight to behold. "You didn't come here to help her at all; you came here to kill her."

Selmak stared back boldly. "I was prepared to do what needed to be done."

"To kill your own grandchild. A defenseless, sick woman."

Selmak leaned back into her chair and looked at Jack. "She is a menace that you could not possibly understand. I can tell you this, though, that thing is not your daughter, if she ever was."

Jack raised an eyebrow at her little dramatic speech, feeling the last of his patience completely draining away. "I think we have had enough with the cryptic riddles for now, thank you very much. Just what the hell is going on?"

Selmak looked around the room again, her eyes lingering on the SFs. Probably deciding that her chance of escape was slim, she sighed heavily and said, "She is harcesis."

The room once again fell into a stunned silence. Jack vaguely wondered how in the hell that explained anything.

"No, she isn't," Daniel finally said. "She is a human child, not the child of two hosts."

Selmak snorted. "Yes, that is probably what Baal told himself, too. Right before his blood began to flow at her hands. He should not have meddled in such things."

"Haley didn't kill Baal, Anat did," Jack defended.

"Keep telling yourself that, if it gives you comfort. But I am telling you that whatever killed Baal is still alive and well and just escaped through your Stargate."

"And whose fault is that?" Jack asked belligerently.

Selmak didn't bother to answer.

"Say we believed you, that Haley really is harcesis. How exactly does that fact demand that you murder her?"

Selmak eyed Jack and pursed her lips. "I refuse to speak of it anymore."

"I want to speak to my father," Sam said quietly, causing everyone to look at her. Her face was pale, Jack noted, but she had that determined Carter look on her face.

Selmak didn't answer. She just stared straight ahead, refusing to look at any of them.

"I always knew the Tok'ra were no better than the Goa'uld," Jack remarked darkly.

Selmak's eyes flashed in anger as she glared at Jack, but then she sighed and dropped her head.

"Oh my god," Jacob moaned when his head came back up. "I couldn't stop her! I just had to watch…"

Suddenly Sam was kneeling next to him, her hand on his uninjured arm. "Dad, do you know what is going on?"

Jacob just shook his head. "She's shutting me out, I can't… It's never been like this before. It's like I had no control over my body. Why would she do this?"

That was a question Jack imagined they would all like to know the answer to. "What can you tell us about this harcesis thing?"

"Nothing more than we already knew before," Jacob said after a moment. "But I can tell you one thing, though. Selmak is absolutely terrified."

"Of what?"

"Haley," Jacob said with wide eyes.

Jack rubbed his hands over his face. This all made absolutely no sense to him.

"Daniel," Jack said, causing the man's head to snap up from the table at which he had been staring blindly. "We need to know everything about this 'harcesis' thing and anything that might tell us what has Selmak so freaked out."

Daniel nodded firmly before pushing away from the table and heading out the room, his fists still clenched at his sides.

"Teal'c, I would appreciate it if you would escort Jacob to a holding cell," Jack continued, the look on his face daring Jacob to object.

Jacob just put up his free hand in defense and said, "I understand. I'll see if I can get Selmak to tell me anything."

As they left, Jack turned to Sam, who still looked beyond shell-shocked. "Carter…"

Her head snapped up and she nodded. "I know, sir. Get the dialing computer back on line."

Jack held her gaze for a long moment before nodding back and heading into his office.

Sam almost made it to the stairs before abruptly turning back around and following Jack.

She found him sitting at his unusually organized desk staring at a single sheet of paper. She recognized it immediately. It was the subject of many long discussions between Sam and Jack during the last few weeks. It was a letter of resignation. It was Jack's retirement from the Air Force.

Sam had been adamantly against it at first, not wanting him to give up a job he loved. It was too much pressure. But Jack had just smiled and said, "Do you know the one reason I took the desk in the first place, Carter?"

"Because you thought you could do anything you wanted?"

"No. Though, I am still a bit disappointed about that whole thing."

Sam couldn't help but smile.

"No," Jack continued, "I knew that my days in the field were numbered. I took this job so I could watch your back, Carter. And because I-"

He had broken off abruptly, as if he had said too much. They still had a hard time saying what they really felt, after spending so much time suppressing and avoiding.

"And because what, Jack?" Sam gently prodded.

Jack let out an annoyed puff of air and shifted slightly in his seat. He really hated this new honesty thing. Sam just patiently waited. "Because I wanted to know that I would still get to see you. Okay?" he said defensively.

Sam fought back the smirk that threatened, not wanting him to know how cute she thought that was. Not quite the right way to reward his honesty. "You didn't think we'd see each other outside work?"

"Carter. When did we ever see each other off-base?"

True, they rarely saw each other and never alone. But that was because of the regulations, right? "You didn't think that maybe we would see a lot more of each other if you did, say, happen to retire?"

"No," Jack said, obviously not wanting to expand.

"Why?"

When it became clear that Sam wasn't going to let it go, he sighed dramatically and bit out one word. "Pete."

"Ah," Sam said. Of course. And then she dissolved into very un-Colonel-ish giggles.

Jack groaned, rolled his eyes and pushed away from the table in protest.

Sam darted a hand out to stop him. "No, Jack, I'm sorry…it's just…" Overwhelmed by giggles once again, she just shook her head.

"What!" Jack snapped.

The grumpy look on his face almost set Sam off again, but she managed to regain some control. She turned what she hoped were now serious eyes on him. "I would have dropped him before you could even finish saying the word retirement, Jack."

Jack nodded, seemingly slightly mollified. "I know that now, but back then…"

Sam felt all amusement rapidly drain away, replaced by guilt. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"Hey," Jack said sternly, "what did we agree about guilt?"

Sam tried to smile, knowing he was right. They had both done countless things to hurt each other. Neither of them really wanted to dwell.

"Anyway, you've just proven my point. I plan on seeing an awful lot of you off the base from now on." It was amazing how Jack could make such an innocently stated sentence sound downright scandalous at the same time. "So," he finished with a flourish, "no reason not to retire!"

"You'll be bored."

"And you don't think I'm bored now? Carter, I'm a good-for-nothing paper pusher!"

Sam glared.

"Okay, okay," Jack said, hands up in surrender. "Maybe not completely useless, but come on. I'm not exactly the prime candidate to liaise between the military and politicians." He added some choice words about politicians as if to reinforce his position.

"All right. Say I bought that, which I don't, what would you do during this hypothetical retirement?"

"You mean besides the obvious?" he quipped with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

Sam absolutely refused to blush.

Jack began to pace around the room. "I don't know! Get a dog, take up golf. Heck, I could make an entire career out of bugging Haley and interrogating potential boyfriends."

Sam snorted. "I don't think you need to worry about potential boyfriends, Jack."

"Why not?" He looked distinctly disappointed.

Sam bit back a smile and shook her head. "Never mind."

Jack stared at her a moment before shrugging. "Whatever. The point is, I am ready for this." And then he had grabbed her hand and pulled her close. "We've waited long enough, Carter. We deserve this."

Sam couldn't help but agree.

They had decided to give themselves a month to get used to the idea. Which seemed like a terrible idea, even as it was a good one. As the panic at the very thought of what was to come after the infamous retirement began to fade, Sam had to admit that it was a great idea.

As of today, there were five days left of the adjustment month. And here they were, their daughter missing somewhere out in the universe after almost being murdered by her grandfather. The ludicrous situation seemed to be mocking their hopes and carefully laid plans.

Jack was still staring hard at the letter on which hinged so many of their dreams.

"She needs you here," Sam finally said, relieved to hear that her voice was calm and even, no matter how tumultuous her feelings really were.

Jack nodded without looking up.

"Somebody else might not understand."

Again, a silent nod.

"It's the right thing to do," Sam said, listing off all the reasons they both knew, even as she felt her heart squeezing painfully.

Jack nodded.

Sam's eyes never left the pristine sheet of official-looking paper as Jack carefully lifted it almost reverently from the desk. He looked at it one last time before slipping it into the paper shredder.

Sam somewhat wistfully thought that it felt like she had been put through that shredder, too. Thin strips of paper, all that was left of their ravaged hopes.

Sam ruthlessly smashed down such fanciful thoughts. This was their daughter. Nothing was more important. She glanced at Jack to find him still staring at the offending machine, his face hard and unreadable. So…distant. Sam vaguely wondered if this tragedy was the last straw for Jack O'Neill. She really had no idea what this would do to him, losing Haley again.

Sam suddenly felt the need to flee. She nodded stiffly and said, "Sir," as way of farewell.

Her flight was stilled by Jack's hand on her wrist. "Carter."

Sam turned slowly to face him, bracing herself for whatever he may say, waiting to be pushed away again.

"I…" he broke off and shook his head. He looked her in the eye and started again. "We do this together, Carter. No matter what happens."

Jack always said that he wasn't any good with words, but Sam heard him clearly. He wasn't walking away this time. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting relief and hope wash over her before pulling her arm from his grasp. She could see a brief flash of alarm on his face, but it faded quickly as she took his hand in hers.

"Together."

* * *

An hour later Sam finally had the dialing computer back online and Jack had called them all back into the briefing room for an update. 

"Okay, what do we know, Daniel?" Jack asked, noting that he looked a bit calmer than he had before.

"Well, not much. We know that a harcesis is the child of two hosts and that it is forbidden to create one by the Goa'uld. According to Teal'c, such children are hunted down with impunity and destroyed. Ostensibly because they would have 'all the knowledge of the Goa'uld,' though we are unsure as to what that really means."

"But Apophis managed to create Shifu," Sam noted.

"Yes, but Shifu has since learned to suppress that knowledge," Daniel reminded her.

"And if he hadn't?" Sam asked.

"Well, from what he 'taught' me," Daniel said with a grimace, "he would have succumbed to the evils of his subconscious."

"So if Haley somehow gained access to all of those memories…" Sam said, trailing off at the end.

"Are you trying to tell me that there is a very good chance that my daughter has gone all dark side on us?" Jack asked with disbelief.

Daniel sighed. "I don't know, Jack. But it's a distinct possibility."

"It could explain why Selmak felt the need to kill her," Teal'c offered.

"Maybe…"

"You do not sound convinced, Daniel Jackson."

"Yeah, Teal'c. Something about this whole thing doesn't make sense to me. Like why, exactly, the Goa'uld are so scared of harcesis. Why is that knowledge such a threat? And if it was really such a threat, why would Baal have done this in the first place? And why would Selmak be so terrified that she would suppress her host and try to kill her grandchild? And if Haley is so evil now, then why was she so careful not to kill a single guard? Why didn't she just take over the base and blow us all up? She easily could have, if her sabotage of our systems is any indication."

"What exactly are you getting at, Daniel?" Jack asked when Daniel finally paused to take a breath.

"I have no idea," he said, dropping his head in his hands. "I just feel like we're missing something."

"Well, if Selmak won't help us, where else can we get answers?" asked Sam.

"I guess we could always ask Baal, if he weren't dead," Jack noted insolently.

"I do not believe any Goa'uld would offer assistance, O'Neill. The harcesis is a topic that is forbidden to even speak of. I only knew of it at all as First Prime, as it was my duty to enforce the decrees of the System Lords."

"Plus, the last thing we need is for them to learn about Haley. I imagine they would try to…" Sam said, trailing off at the end.

"Destroy her," Teal'c finished for her.

"Yeah," she said softly.

"I need to go to Kheb," Daniel said suddenly.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"I think it's time I looked up some old friends."

* * *

Daniel entered the quiet garden. It showed no marks from the fierce Goa'uld attack years before and the plants were still carefully pruned. He removed his shoes and entered the main sanctuary, sinking down in the soft black sand. A single candle lay burning, as if it had been waiting for him. 

"It is too clear and so it is hard to see."

Daniel glanced up from the flame to see Shifu standing calmly on the other side. He appeared to be older than the last time Daniel had seen him, but he knew this was just an illusion as Shifu had no form to age.

Daniel smiled at his wife's son. "It is good to see you, Shifu."

Shifu smiled back, but said, "You have come for answers that I cannot give."

"Why not?"

"To know the end, you must first find the beginning."

Daniel briefly wondered if he had really understood all this stuff when he was ascended. Time to try the direct approach. "_Is_ she harcesis?"

"She is what she is, no more and no less. Names lend fear and illusion, but they do not change the essence that is."

Daniel had to take that as a 'yes.' He sighed and dropped his head to his hands, feeling a headache coming on. "Why is that so bad? Why do so many fear the harcesis?" he asked softly.

For the first time, the smile dropped from Shifu's face and his brow creased. "I have taught you of the evils of my subconscious."

"The only way to win is to deny it battle," Daniel quoted morosely.

"That is my path. We are not the same, she and I."

"And what? Haley's path is to be evil?" Daniel said sharply, beginning to lose his patience. He pushed to his feet and began pacing around the room. He ranted at the ceiling. "Come on, Oma! Shifu was worth saving, but Haley's not? Is that it? If Shifu can learn, why can't she?"

"Her trail is meant for her feet; we cannot interfere," Shifu calmly said.

Daniel stopped pacing at Shifu's words, dread filling his stomach. "_Meant_ for her? Don't try to tell me that this is all destiny!"

"Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds," Shifu gently countered.

Daniel almost laughed, despite himself. "Roosevelt?"

Shifu smiled. "He was a wise man."

Daniel sighed and sat back down on the ground. "So, Haley's path is to fight an evil that she can't possibly defeat."

"None of us know what the future holds, no matter how wide our vision."

"If you immediately know that the candlelight is fire, then the meal was cooked long ago," Daniel said.

"Yes."

"Well, there's that at least," Daniel said wryly. "I just don't know what to do."

Shifu sat down next to Daniel and placed a hand on his arm. "You are a good man, Stepfather. Open your heart and the path will be clear."

"You've been hanging around Oma too much," Daniel complained affectionately.

Shifu smiled.

"Thanks, Shifu. But I guess it's time for me to find some answers by going back to the beginning…" Daniel trailed off as something clicked in his mind. He turned back to Shifu with wide eyes and smiled. "I thought you weren't supposed to help me?"

But Shifu was gone. Daniel was talking to air.

"Thanks," Daniel said softly to the empty room.

* * *

Sam was waiting for Daniel when he stepped back through the gate. 

"Did you get the answers you were looking for?"

"We weren't asking the right questions," Daniel said, immediately heading for the cell that currently held Jacob Carter.

Sam shared a baffled glance with Jack through the control room window. He just shook his head at her and gestured for her to follow the wayward archaeologist.

Daniel pushed into the cell with Sam right on his heels. "You expected this," he accused without preamble. "Somehow you knew this would happen. How?"

Jacob looked startled for a moment, but then he was staring at the floor, his gaze blank.

Daniel was about to lay in to the Tok'ra when Sam placed a restraining hand on his arm. "Wait," she said softly. "Let him try to convince her to help."

Almost five minutes had passed when the Tok'ra finally looked up. "I will try to answer your questions," Selmak said, a slight tremor in her voice betraying her trepidation.

"Just tell us how you knew."

"What do you know of Ra's discovery of Earth?" Selmak asked.

Daniel wasn't really sure what that had to do with anything, but he decided to play along. "Well…the writings on Abydos said that Ra was a member of a dying race that possessed the body of a human in which he could maintain a perpetual immortality of sorts."

"Yes. From that time, the Goa'uld used humans as hosts, Jaffa and slaves, spreading them throughout the galaxy."

Daniel nodded impatiently. None of this was new to him.

Selmak leaned back in her chair. "Have you never asked yourself _why_ Ra came here in the first place? What plague haunted him?"

Daniel shook his head. "I never really thought about it."

"The Goa'uld were certainly a dying race, but Ra came to Earth to _hide_, not to find a new race of hosts. It was only a complete fluke that he discovered the Tau'ri at all."

"Hiding from what?" Daniel asked, his tone betraying his growing unease.

"Not what," Selmak corrected with a shrewd look, "_who_."

Daniel closed his eyes as the pieces fell into place in his mind. "What's happening to Haley…it's happened before."

"Yes."

"What do you mean?" spoke up Sam.

Selmak turned her ancient eyes to Sam's face, her voice heavy. "More than five millennia ago, a child named Dinah was born. She was the first harcesis."

Sam sunk somewhat bonelessly into a nearby chair.

Selmak eyed her for a moment before continuing. "Her mother was Akkan."

"The Babylonian Goddess of conception, birth and destiny," Daniel supplied.

"Fitting, isn't it?" quipped Selmak humorlessly. "You are familiar with Unas, the First Ones?"

"Yes."

"For almost a thousand years the Goa'uld used Unas as hosts and slaves, pulling themselves out of the primordial waters of their home world. They mastered the Stargates, building their civilization on stolen technology and on the backs of slaves. The Unas were bred on many worlds. They made excellent hosts with their strong bodies and weak minds that could be easily dominated by the more intelligent Goa'uld.

"Akkan was the first to suppress her own consciousness so that she could have a child of her host's body. None before her had even thought to try, so little did they think of their hosts. And so Dinah was born. No one really knows what became of Akkan, but she surely perished because Dinah was left to be raised by her Unas kin.

"She was not like them, though. She had the mastery of speech, writing, mathematics, and science. Though she had no symbiote within, she knew everything the Goa'uld knew. More than that, even, she had the memories of every Goa'uld and host before her, nearly a thousand years of the torture and subjugation of her species.

"All Unas hated and feared the Goa'uld, but she was the first with the power and knowledge to do something about it. She was determined to destroy the gods for their crimes, driven by her memories and a thirst for revenge."

"She slaughtered them," Daniel guessed tonelessly.

"Yes," Selmak confirmed. "One by one the Goa'uld were taken by surprise. There had never been an Unas with even the lowest levels of intelligence before, but she was quicker, stronger and smarter than all of the gods combined. They did not know to fear her. She slipped in, unnoticed, time and time again, leaving nothing but bodies behind her."

"Ahab," Daniel mumbled in the ensuing silence.

"Daniel?" Sam asked uncertainly.

"From _Moby Dick_," Daniel clarified. He got up and paced around the room as he quoted, "_He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it_."

Selmak smiled slightly. "Yes, Jacob is familiar with this text. It is an apt comparison."

"So what is a harcesis, really?" Daniel asked in a soft voice, no longer really wanting to know the answer.

"A god-slayer."

Silence reigned for some moments and Daniel began walking the length of the room again in agitation.

"You mean that Haley is out there, right now, killing Goa'uld?" Sam asked.

"It is probable," Selmak responded, never taking her eyes off the pacing form of Daniel.

"Well…isn't that a good thing?" Sam asked uncertainly.

Daniel abruptly turned and met Selmak's eyes with complete understanding at last. "But at what price?"

"It will consume her," Selmak said sadly, holding Daniel's gaze unblinkingly. "She won't be able to stop."

"Stop what?" Sam asked in a hoarse voice.

"Killing."


	19. Retribution

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Retribution  
Author: Annerb  
Rating: Violence, language  
Summary: "It's not about good and evil, right and wrong. It's about not being a victim."  
Classifications: Series, Drama, Action  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Disclaimer The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Things are rapidly coming to a head here. I am immensely grateful that you have stayed with me this long! Oh, and as feb04 so aptly commented, I'm 'going all out' in the concluding chapters…:) Triptnx and Montage-Thanks!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

**_ Part 19: Retribution_**

Enki didn't turn around, not even when he heard the thud of fists against flesh and the thump of bodies falling senselessly to the floor. He could smell the tang of blood in the air and it made his head spin pleasantly, like a heady perfume. Eventually the last of his guards fell and silence descended over the peltak. He could hear her footsteps as she approached him.

"The return of the prodigal daughter," Enki remarked lightly with his back still to her.

"You have much to answer for, not only what you did to me, but to the children."

Enki could easily detect her fury, the fiery rage that burned inside. It was perhaps the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. "Yes, I know," he said, his voice betraying his satisfaction.

She fell silent and Enki turned to see her staring at him, confusion clear on her face. He could see the moment her curiosity temporarily overrode her fury. "You must have known it would come to this. You must know that I won't let you live," she said eventually, her voice as sharp as broken glass.

Enki felt his love for her curl pleasantly in his stomach. "You are just as magnificent as I always knew you would be." He longed to reach out and touch her, but he knew she wouldn't allow it.

"This was your intent…from the very beginning," she said, her voice slightly breathless.

Enki smiled. "I have spent my entire existence working for this moment. You are my masterpiece," he said reverently. "Baal would have been happy with information or a nice host for his Queen, but my goals have always been loftier."

"You just wanted to see if you could do it," she said in growing understanding.

"You are the greatest power this galaxy has ever seen, will ever see. And I made you. I made you _of_ me."

"You used your own DNA," she said, her voice dripping with disgust.

Enki just smiled again, not particularly minding her revulsion. "In some ways, I'm your father, just as much, or more so even, than your human one."

"Jack O'Neill is my father," she said harshly.

"Of course he is," Enki said calmly. He laughed at the look of surprise on her face. "What? You thought I didn't know? Come now, child, give me some credit. It's his fault, after all, that it took this long for you to come to me."

Enki paused for a moment, watching her as she processed what he was saying. "That was the one major obstacle. The Ancient knowledge. It protected you, even as you weren't aware of it doing so. It gave you the tools to fight your nature, to create defenses against your fate. But I knew, I always knew, it was just a matter of time until everything would fall away. And here you are, just as I always dreamed."

"My fate…" she said softly, staring at him with haunted eyes.

Enki felt a twist of pleasure in his gut in response. "But you didn't come here for answers, my sweet. You already have them," he reminded her, tapping at his temple.

He could see her mentally shake herself. "Perhaps," she finally said slowly, before raising hard eyes to his face. "But I also needed a ship."

Enki laughed softly, reveling in the calculating gleam in her eye, the fire burning just below the surface. He only wished that he could be there to watch her burn her way through the galaxy. But seeing her here like this, it was enough. "Well, now you have one," he said sincerely, gesturing around the peltak.

"You really don't care, do you? You have doomed your entire race, and you don't even care."

Enki just smiled in response, his heart full of fanatic joy. "It will be an honor to die at your hands, god-slayer."

Haley's eyes flashed with anger and disgust. "You are a monster," she growled, once again advancing on him.

Enki closed his eyes in anticipation, memorizing the feel of her hands on his flesh. The wide, fanatical smile never left his face, not even when death finally claimed him.

* * *

"Somebody want to explain that to me again?"

Sam sympathized with Jack. This was the second time she had heard the story and she was still having a difficult time with it. It was hard to grasp what exactly millennia-old apocalyptic stories had to do with their current situation.

"This explains much," Teal'c said in the following silence.

"Maybe for you," Jack mumbled, leaning back in his chair.

Sam shook her head at Teal'c. "I still don't really understand. If what you say about Dinah is true, that she was some sort of superhuman…er…super-Unas, Goa'uld killer, then why would Apophis or Baal ever risk producing another harcesis?"

"Arrogance has long been the Goa'uld's greatest weakness, Colonel Carter."

"Teal'c is right," Selmak agreed. "Also, Apophis was quite young in the scheme of things. He did not live through the cataclysm, but was born much later. In fact, the only Goa'uld that survives from that time now is Lord Yu."

"Right," Sam said slowly. "From what you've said, they were nearly hunted to extinction. How many survived Dinah's purge?"

"Less than a hundred."

"That many?" Jack asked.

"Before Dinah, there were thousands throughout the galaxy. Plus, only a handful of Queens survived, all of which you have managed to dispose of in the last few years. It took them thousands of years to rebuild. The other survivors, Cronus, Ra, Sokar, Anubis, Osiris, well…you are well aware of what has happened to them since. They have also done a nice job of killing each other off along the way. These days, it won't take much for the harcesis to finish them off, once and for all."

"What happened to Dinah in the end?" Daniel asked, finally breaking his long silence.

"It was never clear. It is said that in the end her own people turned on her. Cronus's brother, Hyperion, was under attack from Dinah, who had managed to capture one of the Goa'uld's ships. Hyperion, unable to escape, ordered that his chamber be filled with Unas, believing that she would never harm her own kind just to get to him. Dinah reduced the entire palace to dust. The price of one Goa'uld's death was more than five hundred of her own people's lives. It is said that her people's fear, in the end, was the only thing that could destroy her. She was betrayed and murdered.

"Ra, fresh from his new discovery of the Tau'ri, waltzed back to become the Supreme System Lord of the surviving Goa'uld. The breeding of hosts was strictly forbidden, that one law held sacred by all Goa'uld."

"Until Apophis and Baal."

"Yes. I imagine the appeal of a host with nearly apocalyptic abilities was too much for them to resist."

"There's got to be some sort of poetic justice in there somewhere," Jack noted humorlessly.

An incoming wormhole interrupted any further conversation. Anise and another Tok'ra came through a few moments later.

"Oh, here we go," Jack complained.

Selmak didn't even bother to glare.

Upon reaching the briefing room Anise said, "I am sorry to interrupt, but we needed to speak to Selmak urgently."

Before Jack could even speak, Selmak had already moved out of her chair to Anise's side. "It is alright, Anise. What brings you here?"

Anise was clearly distressed. "Kalresh has been murdered."

Selmak didn't look surprised. "So," she said, nodding slowly, "it has begun. Was anyone else hurt?"

"No. Just Kalresh. It wasn't…quick." The look of horror on Anise's face filled in the details.

Selmak just nodded slowly. "I'm sure it wasn't. At least she is still distinguishing between friend and foe, though."

Jack, who had been silently watching the exchange, jumped in at this point. "I'm sorry, but am I to understand that you assume Haley had something to do with this?"

Anise and Selmak shared a look. "Kalresh was a Goa'uld spy," Selmak eventually said.

"What?" Jack snapped, this being new information to him.

"Yes. He was the one who betrayed Haley to Baal. She was able to identify him before we left the planet."

Jack looked like he was about to have an apoplexy. "And you didn't do anything about it! Or think that we deserved to know?"

"He was useful for feeding false information back to the Goa'uld," Anise offered calmly.

"Plus, Haley seems to have ensured he receive proper punishment," Selmak noted dryly.

"There is something you are not telling us, Selmak," Anise accused.

"I did not wish to cause undue panic by voicing unconfirmed suspicions. Unfortunately they have turned out to be true. Haley is harcesis."

The two Tok'ra went completely pale.

"Okay, someone needs to tell me why you Tok'ra as so freaked out by this. It's getting ridiculous," Jack said.

"You must remember that as much as we hate to admit it, we do descend from the Goa'uld. We have their memories as well as their fears. Egeria, our Queen, lived through Dinah's purge. She did not found the resistance until many millennia later."

"You're scared she may not be able to tell the difference," Daniel offered, still sitting at the table.

Selmak nodded. "It is something we need to consider."

"Are you trying to say that Haley might try to do in the Tok'ra, too?" Jack asked. At the moment, he honestly wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Selmak suddenly lowered her head and then Jacob was speaking. "Jack. I know this is still hard to grasp and that you aren't inclined to trust any Tok'ra right now, but you need to let us go back. You need us and our intelligence if you have any hopes of following what Haley might be doing out there."

"And what if we just want to try and find her ourselves?"

Jacob frowned slightly. "You can try, but I don't think you will have any luck. Not if she doesn't want to be found."

Jack thought back to how easily Haley had eluded all of them after she had escaped the NID. And now she had the entire galaxy at her fingertips. "Needle in the haystack," Jack commented tonelessly.

Jacob nodded.

Suddenly out of choices, it seemed that they were going to have to rely on the Tok'ra. Jack felt a headache coming on.

* * *

The meeting with the Tok'ra was as mindless as Jack knew it would be. It had taken weeks to get everything worked out between the two former allies, much to Jack's endless annoyance. Now they were meeting on the Tok'ra base, cementing their new relationship and comparing notes on the 'situation' as they had started calling it.

Daniel was in his element, diplomacy had always been his strong point. Jack was happy to just be a figurehead. He'd gotten pretty good at keeping his mouth shut and nodding at the appropriate time. But man, was he bored!

About twenty minutes into the indeterminable meeting, one of the Tok'ra's particularly pithy voice cut through Jack's haze of boredom. "Are you _sure_ you have no idea where she is?"

Jack didn't care for his tone. Boredom began to be replaced by anger, the only two feelings he seemed to be capable of feeling when it came to the Tok'ra. They were not on trial here and he refused to be treated like a criminal. He didn't like the insinuation that they were withholding information. But before he could do or say something rashly undiplomatic, Daniel interrupted him.

"Uh…I have a pretty good idea where she is," Daniel suddenly said, staring over Jack's shoulder.

Jack slowly turned around to see Haley standing calmly at the chamber entrance. There was a long tense silence and then she smiled.

"Hey guys. Long time, no see," she said, her voice rather cheerful as if she was actually glad to see them.

It was nearly the last thing Jack expected. She seemed almost…normal. He cleared his throat. "Uh…Haley. What're…uh…" He had no idea what to say.

But Haley just smiled wider and laughed. "Jack O'Neill, at a loss for words. Not sure I'd ever see the day."

"I think he meant to say, what brings you here?" Daniel said casually.

Jack was impressed by his carefully diplomatic tone.

"Oh, just doing a little spring cleaning," Haley answered, just as carefully casual as Daniel. It was only in that moment that Jack finally noticed the body lying at Haley's feet. "I didn't have much time on my last visit."

They could have been discussing knitting, her tone was so relaxed and matter of fact. Jack was completely thrown. On the one hand, she seemed completely normal, on the other, well, there was a dead body at her feet. He wasn't sure what he had expected. A black cape and a mustache? Anything other than the complete normalness she seemed to exude.

Haley carefully stepped over the body and walked a few more steps into the room. "Sorry to interrupt what I am sure is a _fascinating_ meeting…" Her eyes darted to Jack and she gave him a small smile, as if she just _knew_ that he was bored.

The Tok'ra, at her approach, all watched her warily, some outright jumping out of her way.

"Calm down," Haley admonished gently, even as she pulled a gun from her waistband. "I only came for Theta."

The Tok'ra in question stood abruptly from her chair, her eyes flashing. But her voice, when she finally spoke, was quite tremulous. "I don't understand. I haven't done anything!"

Haley just shook her head and aimed the gun at her. "See? Now you're a spy_ and_ a liar." She looked around at the other Tok'ra. "You guys have the worst Goa'uld pest problem."

Anise, in a moment of bravery that Jack hadn't known she had in her, jumped out of her seat. "Let us try to save the host at least. You may do whatever you wish to the Goa'uld."

"Sorry, don't have the time," Haley answered.

At the last moment, Anise gave herself away, her eyes darting nervously over Haley's shoulder towards the Tok'ra guards that were currently aiming zats at Haley from behind.

"Nice try," was all Haley said, not even bothering to turn around.

"Please!" Theta squeaked.

One of the guards fired and there was an orange flash as the energy beamed bounced off a shield surrounding Haley.

Haley just sighed. "You know, Jack, I beginning to think you're right. The Tok'ra really aren't any better than the Goa'uld, are they?"

Jack ignored the quip, a little too focused on other things. "Nice shield you got there, Haley," he noted, secretly alarmed at this newest development. There was just something wrong about her using Goa'uld technology.

"Yeah. Nice, huh? Enki gave it to me. Well, maybe not _gave_…but he doesn't really need it anymore."

Theta, meanwhile, had begun skirting slowly around the table, probably hoping to make a dash for the exit. None of the other Tok'ra made to stop her.

"Don't," was all Haley said.

But Theta, pushed by fear, rashly reached out and grabbed Sam, a small Goa'uld device on her finger. "Let me go, or I will kill her."

Haley didn't hesitate. She wiped around, gun extended, and took Theta out with a single shot to the head.

Sam glanced, eyes wide, from her daughter to the collapsed Goa'uld spy behind her.

"I don't respond well to ultimatums," Haley said lightly to Theta's prone body. "Sorry to leave you with such a mess…" Haley flashed them all another smile and walked past the two stunned Tok'ra guards, heading towards the exit.

Daniel was the first to move forward and stop her. "Haley. Come back with us. We can help you."

"Help me?" Haley asked in confusion. "Help me with what?"

"I know it's probably confusing, but you don't have to do this," he said carefully.

"This?"

"The killing."

"Ah." She smiled slightly. "I get it. You've managed to convince yourselves that something is wrong with me."

"But the memories-"

"I don't know what old wives' tales these guys might have been sharing with you, but I am not being possessed by my memories. This is me, it's always been me."

"But, this isn't you, Haley. You're not-" Daniel broke off abruptly, as if he was incapable of saying what exactly she was.

Haley considered Daniel for a long moment, her head gently tilted to one side. "It's not about killing, Daniel," she said with soft earnestness, as if willing him to understand. "And it's not about good and evil, right and wrong. It's about not being a victim."

That statement managed to effectively silence Daniel. Jack couldn't help but remember Haley when she had first come to Earth, right after Jonathan's death, her eyes blazing as she swore, _Someday the Goa'uld will have to pay for what they have done. I will make them pay._ The only way any of them had managed to wade through all of the recent craziness was to work under the assumption that Haley was sick and just needed their help. The thought that she was doing all this under her own power…it was difficult to accept, even if not hard to believe.

Pulling her eyes from Daniel, Haley smiled at the room at large and moved for the door. "Well, if you'll all excuse me, I have an appointment with good ole Bastet."

"We can't let you go, Haley," Jack said evenly.

"Don't see that you have much choice, Jack," Haley quipped lightly.

"Stop this and come home, Haley," Sam said softly.

Haley stopped and shook her head at them, clearly confounded by their behavior. "I don't understand you. Isn't this what you want? The end of the Goa'uld? I would think you would all be happy! Daniel, you will finally have revenge for your beloved Sha're. Teal'c, your people will no longer be slaves. And you two," she said, swinging around to face her parents, "you will finally be out of excuses. No more stealing kisses in time loops or making out with hallucinations. How is this not a good thing?"

"This isn't the way to do it," Jack said softly.

Haley shook her head in disbelief. "Fine. Think what you want. Just make sure that you stay out of my way."

That sounded far too ominous to Jack. "Or what?" he questioned.

Haley rolled her eyes and sighed. "Please, Jack, spare me the melodrama. I'm just trying to give you a chance to avoid getting swept up in the whirlwind. But if you insist on meddling…"

"I don't think we've ever really known you, have we?" Daniel asked softly, carefully not looking at her.

Haley actually looked pained for a moment, before she sneered at them. "But I know you." She turned and looked pointedly at Jack and Sam. "I know every person you have betrayed; I can feel the blood of every one of your victims flowing over my hands. I know what you are capable of. In some ways, you really are no better than the Goa'uld yourselves."

"Does that mean we should expect the same treatment?" Sam asked, gesturing vaguely towards the body of Theta.

The soft question clearly startled Haley. "I don't have time for this," she finally ground out. As she strolled out of the room, she casually called over her shoulder, "If you've got any agents with Bastet, Tok'ra, I suggest you recall them immediately."

With that last ominous warning, she was gone.

* * *

Jack carefully crossed off Bastet's name on the board in front of him. With the help of the Tok'ra, they had put together a sort of family tree of known Goa'uld. Every couple of days the Tok'ra would share the intelligence they managed to gather on Haley's movements throughout the galaxy. Dead Goa'uld were slowly crossed off, one by one.

Less than a week after Haley's appearance at the Tok'ra base, Anise reported that Bastet, along with five of her hat'ak class motherships, had mysteriously reached a fiery end. Three Tok'ra agents, a minor Goa'uld named Maahes, and over six thousand Jaffa died on those ships. The sheer scale of the attack had floored everyone. Logically, Jack knew that Jaffa couldn't really be considered innocents, he'd killed more than his fair share, after all, but the death toll still seemed excessive.

Enki, Kalresh, Theta, Tefnut, Shu, Camulus, Ares, Tobosaku and Itzamna had all fallen in the two months Haley had been out there, their names carefully crossed out with red ink. There were sure to have been dozens more that they did not hear about, as the Tok'ra generally only had spies in the ranks of higher level Goa'ulds.

Nameless thousands of Jaffa had also fallen, though, according to Teal'c, they were beginning to abandon their gods in droves, now that the mythical apocalypse seemed near. The Jaffa rebellion was growing in strength, just another nail in the coffin of the Goa'uld.

He should be celebrating and watching their demise with glee, but he can't quite muster the energy.

"I'm not really sure what to feel about it either," came Sam's soft voice from behind him.

He could feel her standing right behind him, but didn't turn to look at her. He wasn't sure he could resist holding on to her right now. "Nothing's ever easy for us, is it?" he said instead.

"What would be the fun in doing something the easy way?" she quipped lightly. Jack wondered when she became the one trying to make him laugh all the time. That used to be his job. He continued to stare broodingly at the board in front of him.

Then her hand on was his arm, squeezing gently. "We'll deal with it, whatever happens."

Jack didn't know how she could sound so quietly confident, but it helped to hear it. He abruptly turned to find her smiling gently at him.

"But for now…let's just go eat some cake and be thankful that this war seems to be reaching its end."

Jack was suddenly very glad that he wasn't trying to do this alone.

* * *

Two weeks later, Jack was roused out of an impromptu nap on his desk by droning klaxons.

"Unauthorized off-world activation!"

"Now what?" Jack grumbled as he headed down to the control room.

"IDC?" he asked Walter, glancing up at the iris shuttered Stargate.

Just as Walter began shaking his head a shimmering light began to appear at the base of the ramp. It slowly materialized into the familiar form of Lord Yu.

"Somebody's managed to scavenge some of Baal's toys," Jack noted wryly to Walter.

"It would seem so, sir."

"Guess I should go see what he wants," Jack said resignedly.

After waving for the airmen in the gateroom to stop pointing their guns uselessly at what was clearly a hologram, Jack turned to Lord Yu with an expansive smile on his face. "Lord Yu! To what do we owe this pleasure?"

Lord Yu did not look impressed. He looked down his nose at Jack as if contemplating a particularly annoying bug.

"I propose an alliance against our common enemy," Lord Yu said without preamble.

Jack just stared at him for a moment, wondering if he could have possibly heard him right. "Our common enemy?" he managed to ask eventually, even though he had a pretty good idea who he meant.

"Yes. The harcesis. She has already killed countless thousands."

"Wow. You and the System Lords must be getting pretty desperate to come to us."

Lord Yu now looked like he had a very bad taste in his mouth. "The System Lords are dead."

"Dead? What, all of them?" Jack asked in surprise. The Tok'ra had mentioned nothing of this new development.

Yu nodded once stiffly.

Jack began counting off on his fingers, "Kali, Morrigan, Amateratsu, Olokun?"

Yu didn't need to nod, his displeasure clear on his face. "They were imprudent enough to walk into a trap."

"Interesting. Guess that last meeting didn't go so well."

"Will you help or not?" Yu bit out harshly.

"Uh…" Jack said with one hand stroking his chin as if mulling the question over, "I'm gonna have to say no."

"No?" Yu actually had the temerity to sound surprised.

"Look, Yu, buddy. Sure we've collaborated in the past, heck, we've even had some halfway decent conversations. But you're a _Goa'uld_. Does the phrase 'mortal enemies' mean anything to you?"

"Without my help, you will have no chance at stopping her. Don't be a fool. You need me as much as I need you."

"You seem to have forgotten, she's not after us."

Lord Yu sneered at Jack, his contempt of the Tau'ri leader clear. "Do you honestly believe that when she is done with us, that she will just stop? She is a killer. That is all she will ever be. She won't stop until this galaxy is a wasteland."

His words hit a little close to home, but Jack remained impassive.

"Are you all completely free of sin?" Yu demanded.

"She won't turn on her own people," Jack claimed, but it rang hollow, even to his own ears.

"You are a fool," Yu scoffed, "and you damn us both today."

When Jack made no move to respond, Yu sighed once, sounding unnervingly human for a moment. "I guess my only solace will be in knowing that you will all soon follow me into death."

Before Jack could think of a suitable response to that, Yu disappeared.

Jack knew he had done the right thing, turning down Yu's offer, but that didn't stop the feeling that everything was rapidly closing in on all sides. It was getting tough not to feel claustrophobic. He sighed once and headed for the briefing room to cross off four more names on the dwindling list of gods.

* * *

A week later, Lord Yu was dead, the last of his generation and soon to be the last of his kind. And quietly, in the back of everyone's minds, was one question. Who would be next? 


	20. Amends

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Amends  
Author: Annerb  
Rating: Violence, language  
Summary: Is the price of vengeance too high?  
Classifications: Series, Drama, Action, S/J, D/O

Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Disclaimer The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Time to wrap up loose ends! Sorry, just a bit more violence here..:)

Feedback: Always appreciated!

_**Part 20: Amends**_

Daniel rubbed his eyes and took a long drink from his coffee. He grimaced as the stone cold liquid hit his throat. He debated heading up to the commissary for more, but decided that he had punished his poor stomach enough for one night.

He glanced up at the TV screen that had been the focus of his work for the last few days. Jack thought he was crazy, but Daniel was convinced that maybe the tapes of Haley's last few days in the SGC would reveal something helpful. Honestly, he wasn't sure he would find anything, but at least it gave him something to do.

He pressed play on the tape again to listen to Haley ranting in Goa'uld. Daniel jotted down the time reference and a rough translation of what she said. 'You will all bow before your God. I am the great yada yada yada…" Daniel sighed. All of those damn Goa'uld sounded the same.

On the tape, Haley quieted down again and Daniel let his mind wander for a little bit. About five minutes of tape later she began mumbling in a language Daniel couldn't understand. He made a note and then rested his head on his arms in frustration. This really was getting him nowhere.

Daniel had almost drifted off to sleep when his head jerked up. Had he just heard his name? Daniel looked around the silent office, and then he realized that it had come from the tape. He jumped up and rewound the tape.

Sure enough, Haley had opened her eyes, looked straight at the security camera and said, "Daniel!" She said it in a kind of strange accent. She then continued on, speaking in what Daniel belatedly realized was Ancient. He scrawled down what she was saying and then paused the tape again. He stared down at the words and one familiar passage jumped out at him: "Overcome great travail and shutter chaos."

It was the passage that Haley had translated one day in the commissary so long ago. The one that led to the discovery that Jack was her father.

"The Crucible," Daniel whispered before grabbing the tape and dashing out of his office.

* * *

Sam looked up from her laptop to see Daniel charge into her lab. It was the middle of the night and yet Sam couldn't bring herself to be surprised that they were both still here. She blearily registered that he had been talking a million miles a minute since he stepped into her lab, even though she had yet to understand a single word. She rubbed her eyes in exhaustion and let Daniel's diatribe wash over her for another five minutes before she finally snapped.

"Daniel!" He abruptly stopped pacing and stared at her as if he had forgotten she was even in the room. They really both needed some sleep. "Please just tell me what you want and then leave me alone." She was being cranky, she knew, but it was four in the morning, for cryin' out loud!

Daniel didn't seem to care that she was grouchy. He pulled out a scrap of paper and passed it to Sam. "I need you to check out this gate address."

"Fine," Sam said briefly, eying three black stones that she just noticed Daniel was absently passing back and forth between his hands. "What are those?" she asked as she began a search for the address Daniel gave her.

He sighed. "That's what I've been telling you!"

"Well, tell me again, and speak slowly this time. I'm completely out of coffee at this point."

"They're Ancient artifacts we discovered on P4R-927 last year. They were found with some documents that talk of a portal to an alien culture's dimension."

Sam was pretty sure that didn't make sense, but she was scared to ask in case he set off on another endless lecture. It was way too late at night for that. "And the address?"

"I think it's the location of the alien portal or doorway."

"Did you just find this address or something? Or are you bugging me in the middle of the night for kicks?"

"Haley gave it to me," Daniel said, once again pacing back and forth.

Sam stared at Daniel, wondering if he had finally cracked. "What did you say?"

"Stop looking at me like I'm crazy, Sam. It was on the tapes, from when Haley was sick."

A beeping sound brought their attention back to the computer.

"Did you find it?" Daniel asked.

"Yes," Sam said slowly, reading the information on the screen. "It's P4T-833. SG-9 visited it four years ago. Uninhabited, no naquadah. Just a barren rock world, lots of sand."

"No signs at all that it was once occupied?"

Sam thought he sounded distinctly disappointed. She scrolled down through the rest of the report. "Wait, they found some sort of carvings on a cliff face, but there was no writing, so it was deemed unimportant."

"Are there images?"

"Uh…yeah," Sam said, pulling up the reports from SG-9. She slowly scrolled through the images. Most of them showed abstract drawings and carvings, none of them seeming to represent anything in particular. Sam was beginning to feel very tired again.

"Wait!" Daniel said. "Go back to that one."

Sam blinked wearily at the screen. "What, this?" The granite cliff face was barren except for three small circular niches placed in a triangular pattern. It seemed rather nondescript to Sam.

Daniel held the small stones he had been carrying up to the screen. "She was right," he said softly.

Sam looked from the stones to the image. "Okay, Daniel. It's time for some coffee and a really good explanation, in that order."

Half a cup of coffee later, Sam was beginning to feel a bit more cognizant. Well, as much as one can with little sleep. "Alright, start talking."

Daniel stared into his mug for a minute, as if gathering his thoughts. "I've been watching the tapes of Haley."

Sam nodded. "What did you find?"

"Lots of it was indecipherable, some Goa'uld ranting, too. But at one point she started speaking Ancient."

"That's not too surprising," Sam said.

"No, not in of itself, but she said my name."

Sam raised an eyebrow at him.

Daniel sighed. "Why do I feel like I am always defending my sanity these days? Look, I'll show you the tape when I'm done explaining. But for now, just listen."

Sam nodded.

"Here's a rough translation of what she said." Daniel pulled out a piece of paper out of his pocket and began to read: "_Daniel, help me! Give me the keys. I need to stop, please._

"Then she recites this poem I found on P4R-927 last year with the stones:

"_The troubled soul brings turmoil and pain,  
Only the crucible may temper weakness._

_Destruction and death, a stumble away,  
But salvation waits at the foot of the trial._

_Overcome great travail and shutter chaos,  
By walking the path of submission._

_Only through great sacrifice and risk,  
May you find great rewards. _

_Severe trials and relentless study,  
Oneness is the only form of survival."_

Sam stared at Daniel, unsure of what to make of all this.

"It's some sort of severe spiritual test or something. A Crucible," Daniel explained.

Sam wasn't sure she liked the sound of that. "I don't understand."

"A crucible is defined as an activity or test that is very difficult, but acts as a sort of hardening or tempering process."

"And you think this will help Haley somehow?"

"No. Haley thought it would help."

Sam was beginning to wonder about his sanity again.

"Look, the Ancients studied this culture. We discovered a site on P4R-927 that we thought was some sort of Ancient lab. This was part of the text on the wall. It's like an ethnographic document or something. They were studying a species that live outside of this dimension and seem to have special mental abilities. For all we know, these are the people who taught them to ascend in the first place!

"We found these stones that the text refers to as the 'keys' to a doorway to these aliens. Anyone who steps through is subjected to the Crucible to test the traveler's worthiness. But we had no idea where this doorway or portal was."

"But now you do, P4T-833. You said Haley gave you the address?" Sam asked.

"Yes," Daniel said. "She quoted the poem and then at the end she says six syllables that seem like gibberish."

"A gate address," Sam breathed in awe. Either Sam was going crazy, too, or this was beginning to make sense. "Like Proklarush Taonas."

"Exactly," Daniel said determinedly.

"And you want to get Haley to go through that thing."

"This may be the answer we've been looking for all along."

"I don't know, Daniel. There are so many variables. We have no idea what she could be walking in to! Are these aliens even carbon-based life forms? Do they breathe oxygen?"

"I don't know. But Haley did. I don't think she would have asked for this if it wasn't a possible solution. She knew what was happening to her! For some reason she thought this would help her. We just need to accept that."

"And what happens to her if she does go through this crucible thing?"

Daniel picked up the stones again and began absently playing with them. "I don't know," he finally said softly.

"Daniel…"

"What's the alternative? Killing her? Like Dinah's people did to her? Are any of us prepared to do that?"

Sam regarded Daniel for a long moment, hating that he was right. "Grab the tape, Daniel. Let's see what the General has to say." Daniel may have convinced her, but Jack would be another thing all together.

* * *

"You've got to be kidding."

Daniel resisted the urge to yell. Jack was being just as immovably stubborn as he feared he would be. He kept his mouth shut, though, letting Sam do most of the talking, hoping it would sound less crazy coming from her mouth.

"We should at least offer the choice to her. She may still be willing to do it," Sam was saying.

Jack looked at Sam for a long moment, and Daniel had the distinct feeling he was intruding. "Carter, I know we all want there to be some magical solution, but even you should be able to see the holes in this plan. You could fly an X-303 through them!"

Sam crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the floor. It was a posture of defeat and exhaustion and Daniel felt his stomach clench.

Jack crossed the space between them and looped an arm around Sam. She leaned almost imperceptibly into him. "I'm sorry, Carter," he said softly.

Sam just nodded silently.

Daniel wasn't giving up yet. "Jack…"

"I don't want to hear it, Daniel," Jack said wearily. "It's a moot point anyway. We have no idea where she is."

Unfortunately, that was one point Daniel had to concede. How, exactly, did one find a needle in a haystack? Especially one that didn't want to be found?

Daniel took one last look at his friends and left them to find whatever comfort they could.

He was staring off into space an hour later when Sam walked back into his office. "I'm sorry, Daniel," she said softly, but Daniel just shook his head.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Sam."

Sam sat down in an empty chair, leaning her head back and rubbing her eyes. "The General's ordered us both to get some sleep."

Daniel just nodded. They fell into a long, comfortable silence. It stretched so long, that Daniel thought Sam might have fallen asleep. But when he looked over at her, she was staring hard at him, as if trying to figure something out. It reminded him of Haley. He shook the thought off and quirked an eyebrow at Sam. "What?"

"Are you in love with her?"

If Daniel had been drinking at the time, he was sure he could have produced a classic spray of liquid. As it was, he just nearly choked on his tongue. Which was good for the priceless, ancient artifacts on his table, but not so good for Daniel's respiratory functions. He coughed once or twice and Sam got up and obligingly whacked him on the back.

"I'm not asking as her mother, Daniel. I'm asking as your friend."

"Sam...," Daniel said slowly, dragging the word out to clearly communicate his discomfort with the subject.

"It's okay if you are. You should know that."

Daniel sighed and leaned his elbows on the table. "I don't exactly have a great track record, Sam. Every woman I have let myself have feelings for has ended up a Goa'uld or dead or a homicidal maniac. Or in Haley's case, all three. She's like the trifecta. Do I get extra points for that?"

Daniel belatedly realized what he had just admitted to. He glanced up at Sam, but she didn't seem freaked out or annoyed or anything. She just seemed sad.

"Daniel…you have to know that none of this is your fault."

"Yeah, I know, Sam," he said wearily. Suddenly he felt the need to confess. Sam would understand; he knew it. "You know the worst part, though? I never told her. I freaked out at the thought of what you and Jack would say and I let her leave here thinking god only knows what."

Sam was silent for a long time. Then she picked up the Ancient stones and pressed them into Daniel's hand. "Maybe there's still a chance for you to tell her," she said softly.

Daniel's eyebrows shot up. Was Colonel Samantha Carter, soldier extraordinaire, telling him to do what he thought she was telling him to do? Take matters into his own hands?

Sam laughed softly, undoubtedly reading the incredulity on Daniel's face. "If there's one thing I've learned, Daniel, it's that there is nothing worse than regrets. Trust me."

Daniel's fist clenched around the smooth stones, knowing Sam was right.

Sam must have seen the determination on Daniel's features, because she kissed him softly on the cheek and said "Good luck," before walking out of his lab.

* * *

Daniel was back again, pacing in Jack's office. It was really beginning to piss Jack off. Hadn't he ordered him to get some sleep? "Daniel-," he began, building up to yelling at him to just get the hell out of his office and go bug someone else for a while.

"Shifu," Daniel said, cutting off the inevitable tirade.

"What?" Jack asked in annoyance.

Daniel didn't stop pacing as he spoke. "Let me ask Shifu about this whole Crucible thing."

"Daniel…those guys are rarely forthcoming with useful information."

"I know, I know…but maybe-"

"Daniel!"

"Jack!" Daniel countered. "You have to let me _do_ something!"

Jack had an unwelcome vision of Daniel pacing a rut into his floor for the foreseeable future. What harm could it really do? "Fine, go to Kheb. But you're taking Teal'c."

Daniel stopped mid-pace, looking pensive. Then he nodded purposively. "You'll see, Jack. In the end, you'll see."

Jack didn't have a chance to ask what the hell that meant before Daniel had paced his way right out of his office. Jack shook his head and went back to the pile of papers on his desk. He really hoped that Daniel wasn't finally cracking up. Jack could only handle so much drama.

Jack was in the control room to see them off; only half registering the way Daniel kept compulsively patting his zat as if to make sure that it was still there. In retrospect, Jack really should have known something was going on. Twenty minutes after Jack watched Daniel and Teal'c step through the gate, an incoming wormhole brought back a sheepish looking Teal'c.

"What happened? Where's Daniel?" Jack demanded.

"He took my by surprise," the large man replied, sounding rather sullen about the whole thing. "I do not believe Daniel Jackson had any intention of speaking with Shifu."

Jack took a deep breath, wishing he had paid a little more attention to Daniel's behavior. "Do you know where he went?"

Teal'c paused for a moment, his lips pursing almost imperceptibly. "I regret that I did not see the address of the world he traveled to, as I was unconscious at the time."

"Daniel's gone?" Sam asked, walking in on the conversation.

"Yeah, gone to play the hero," Jack complained.

"Huh," was all Sam had to say.

Jack turned around and glared at Sam. "Why don't you look surprised?"

Sam just shrugged, an enigmatic smile playing across her face.

Jack resisted the urge to yell. He just had to accept that he was out of the loop. In the meantime, he could contemplate ways to get back at Daniel, when, not if, he got back.

* * *

Zatting Teal'c hadn't been fun, but it was like Sam's words had lit a fire in his brain. Daniel didn't really have a choice. He just absolutely knew that he had to try. He wandered for almost a week, trying various planets with no success.

Then it had hit him one day. There was one place that Daniel just knew Haley would show up eventually: P3X-888. So all Daniel had to do was wait there until she showed up and then provide her with the information and tools she had asked for. Then he could clear up a few things.

Upon his arrival on P3X-888, Daniel feared that he was too late. She had already been there. The large body of water that was the original birthing grounds of the Goa'uld had a strange oily sheen on the surface. The beach was lined with dead symbiotes and other animals. They couldn't have been dead for too long, though, because even with the sheer amount of corpses, there was no smell. Daniel felt his stomach turn, nonetheless, and he began backing away from the gruesome sight when a voice startled him.

"Come to give 'saving me' another try?"

Daniel spun around to find Haley perched on a large boulder, writing in a journal. It had been weeks since any of them had seen her. As usual, Daniel was struck by how normal she seemed. She hadn't looked up from the journal she was carefully writing in. Her brown hair was in its usual careless disarray, hanging down over her face, partially hiding the uneven scarring on her features.

Finally looking up, she smiled slightly, her blue eyes revealing nothing. She jumped down and slowly walked towards Daniel.

"Not that I'm not impressed that you managed to find me. I should have known you would figure it out."

"To know the end, you must first find the beginning," Daniel quoted rather inanely when he managed to get his voice back.

Haley smiled. "Yes, origins are always important. It's never good to forget where you come from; it makes it harder to know where you're going."

Haley walked to the edge of the water and poked at the body of a symbiote with her toe. "The Goa'uld never learned that lesson. They pretend to be gods, but they were born out of the sludge and muck just like the rest of us."

Daniel briefly registered that this was a rather surreal conversation to be having.

"So, Daniel, now you've found me. I assume you're here to give me another speech."

"No," Daniel said carefully. "I just wanted to bring you these." He held out the three black stones.

Haley's eyes widened as she clearly recognized them. She shook her head and backed away. "I don't want them."

"You asked me for them," Daniel insisted, offering them to her again.

"That was before I really understood what was happening to me, Daniel. I was scared of the things I had no comprehension of. But I get it now. I've accepted my fate."

"It's not fate. You don't _have_ to do this."

She stared at him for a long moment. "You're right, Daniel. I'm _choosing_ to do this."

Haley walked back to the boulder and shoved the journal in her pack before slipping it on to her back. She pushed into the woods, heading back towards the Stargate. Right before she disappeared into the trees she called back over her shoulder, "You coming or not?"

Daniel silently trailed Haley, wondering what she was up to. Once they reached the Stargate, she dialed up a world and stepped through. He only hesitated for a moment before following her.

The planet was rather nondescript, the same forests and mountains that Daniel had seen on a hundred other planets. They were following a worn, dirt path that paralleled a meandering stream.

"There is a temple here," Haley explained. "Priests and priestesses care for newly born Goa'uld, never knowing that they are empowering those that enslave them."

"What are you going to do?" Daniel asked.

"I'm going to ensure that no more children on this planet undergo the prim'ta."

"And the priests and priestesses?"

Haley didn't answer and Daniel wondered if she was rationalizing them as casualties of war.

After another silent fifteen minutes, the trail opened into a small clearing. There was a small house at the center, smoke lazily trailing into the sky from a sort of chimney. "Idyllic, isn't it?" Haley remarked. "Hard to believe it's home to a mass murderer."

Haley dropped her pack to the ground. Rooting around in it, she finally pulled out a Berretta and calmly checked the ammo.

"This isn't the temple," Daniel said softly, watching her with growing unease.

"Nope, this is just a little pit stop on the way," Haley said as she headed for the small structure.

She didn't bother to knock. Shoving her way inside with Daniel right on her heels, the house revealed a woman bending over a hearth of sorts. In the corner sat an older man, whose golden tattoo marked him as a First Prime. He jumped to his feet in surprise as they barged in.

Haley bit out something to the man that Daniel vaguely registered as a Jaffa proverb. Something about the wheel turning full circle and actions demanding vengeance.

The man's face paled and his wife cried out inarticulately. He waved for her to stay out of the way.

"You know who I am?" Haley asked.

"Yes," replied to Jaffa resignedly.

"And why I am here?"

"Yes."

"Haley," started Daniel, "what are you-"

"Do you want to know what this Jaffa did?" Haley interrupted. "A man refused to let his daughter be taken as a host for the gods. In response, this First Prime gathered up the entire village, locked them in a building, and burned them all alive. Does that deserve mercy?"

"Please," the woman suddenly beseeched, tearing Haley's attention from the Jaffa. "My husband is no longer in service of the false gods. He is a good man, I beg you. He has left those ways behind him."

Haley took a few steps towards the woman. "And does that make what he did okay?"

"No, it doesn't," said the Jaffa quietly. "Myna, please," he said softly to his wife, "do not interfere."

The woman silently shook her head, backing into the corner. "Please, no…"

"I am ready to face my punishment," interrupted the man, pulling Haley and Daniel's attention back to him.

"Good," Haley said, raising her Berretta level with his heart. "I'll make it quick, which is more than you did for those poor souls."

The man fell to his knees, arms wide open. "Yes. All I ask is that you leave my family be, they had nothing to do with my crimes."

Haley titled her head in consideration of him. "I will think about that."

The man closed his eyes in acceptance and Haley moved to pull the trigger, but Daniel jumped between them.

"Haley, don't do this."

"Get out of the way, Daniel," she bit out in response, her eyes hard.

"Please, don't interfere," the Jaffa implored.

Daniel ignored him and continued to try and reason with Haley. "This is murder and part of you knows that. This is wrong."

Haley's eyes now blazed with fury. "I should have known that you would never be able to understand." She moved forward and shoved Daniel aside, but he stubbornly refused to move.

"Yes, he did bad things," Daniel said sharply, "but does he really deserve to die? Is there no such thing as atonement?"

"Ask that to the people he killed. Some acts deserve no mercy."

"Who are you to make that choice?"

"I am the only one who _can_," Haley ground out.

"Please, it's alright," the Jaffa continued to plead as he nervously glanced between the increasingly agitated Haley and his softly whimpering wife in the corner.

Daniel raised his voice over the growing cacophony of sounds in the hut, when a few things happened in rapid succession. Haley raised one hand to her ears as if to block them all out and then the door behind her slammed open with force. She jerked with surprise and spun around, gun extended.

Daniel watched the unfolding scene with horror. Time seemed to slow; his body refused to move as if it was mired in the deepest swamp. He didn't even manage to make a sound before the sharp retort of the gun filled the room. The child's hand slipped from the doorknob in shock as red began to stain across his chest. The boy, easily no more than seven years old, hit the ground with a soft thump.

There was a loud wail from the woman in the corner and a shout of protest from the Jaffa, but Haley had already dropped her arm in shock. For just a second, Daniel saw something flash in Haley's eyes. He refused to call it satisfaction, but it was something horribly disturbing, and then it had melted away and she dropped to her knees by the child.

She cradled the small boy in her arms, rocking him back and forth. The child whimpered and she gently brushed the hair back from his face. "Shh…Jonathan… everything's going to be okay."

Daniel still stood stunned a few feet away, vaguely noting that she had called the child Jonathan. The boy in her arms gave a shuddering gasp and then lay still.

"No!" came the anguished gasp from Haley.

Daniel walked over and put a weary hand on her shoulder. "Haley…"

She shook him off. "No." Gently laying the boy on the ground, Haley stood and turned to leave the room, her eyes briefly falling on the parents now clinging disconsolately to each other. She pushed out of the room without a backwards glance.

Daniel silently followed her; unsure of what she would do now, absolute horror still curling in his gut. She paced silently outside the house, tapping the gun still clenched in her hand against her thigh in obvious agitation. Then she abruptly stopped and stared at the gun in fascination.

"It would be easy," she said quietly, not looking up from the gun. "It would be so easy to just end this all, once and for all, right now." She raised the gun to her temple and glanced at Daniel. "Right?"

Before Daniel could even react, she pulled the gun from her head and aimed it at him instead. "Or maybe it should be you. I could destroy the last vestiges of my conscious and then it would be simple. No more need for justification."

Daniel blinked unbelievingly at her. He wondered if she really had it in him to kill him. He was scared that she did.

"This isn't the way it's supposed to be," she said, abruptly lowering the gun and resuming her pacing. "I know what needs to be done. And I am the only one who can do it. The only one _worthy_ of doing it!"

Her eyes blazed as she continued her rant. "There has never been one like me and there never will be again. These _people_," she spat, "they cannot possibly comprehend. In the end, they don't matter at all."

Daniel's anger finally pushed through his shock. "Listen to yourself! Don't you know what you sound like?"

She stopped pacing and stared at him, her eyes narrowing.

Daniel continued on unabashedly. "Maybe you were in control at first, maybe not, I don't know. But look at you! You say you hate the Goa'uld and everything they have ever done, but you're just like them!"

She raised the gun once more to aim at his chest. But Daniel saw the slight tremor there.

"You once swore that you would make them pay for what they did to Jonathan. But what the hell did you just do?" Daniel asked harshly, gesturing back towards the house from where sobs could still be heard. "You murdered a kid! For absolutely no reason, other than the fact that you could!"

"It was an accident," she replied in a hard voice, but he could see the sheen of tears in her eyes.

"That doesn't change the fact that he's dead. Or that part of you enjoyed it."

His accusation seemed to rip into her, but she didn't deny it. She raised her other hand to the gun, trying to control the shaking weapon.

Daniel's voice softened. "You say this is about not being a victim, but it's not, Haley. This is about revenge. And it's destroying you."

"I'm saving them…," she finally said in a weak voice. "No one should have to go through what I have…I won't let them."

In the ensuing silence a keening wail could be clearly heard. Haley's eyes snapped to the source of the offending noise and she charged back towards it with new purpose.

Daniel stepped in front of her. "No," he said firmly. "More death isn't going to make anything better."

"I know," she said softly before easily hooking her leg behind Daniel's and knocking him to the ground in one swift motion. She walked around his fallen body and continued towards the house.

By the time he managed to follow her into the house, Haley was kneeling by the boy with her eyes closed and one hand pressed to his bloody chest. The gun lay discarded by her feet and the boy's parents watched from the other side of the room, their fear of Haley clear on their faces.

Daniel was about to ask what the hell she was doing, when the boy drew a shuddering breath. Suddenly her posture and concentration were all too familiar. Jack had done this to Bra'tac. He had read reports about Ayiana's special abilities. She was healing him, like an Ancient.

The boy's eyes eventually fluttered open and Haley sagged back away from him, allowing the child to run to his parents. They stared at her in awe.

"Take me to the portal," she said softly without looking up from the bloody, stained ground in front of her.

* * *

Jack stood in front of the whiteboard, his eyes traveling over the red slashes that represented deceased Goa'uld. The overwhelming majority of them were red now. Instead of the intense satisfaction Jack knew he should feel at such a sight, however, he only felt growing unease. Lord Yu's last warning crawled around in his head. _Do you honestly believe that when she is done with us, that she will just stop? She is a killer. That is all she will ever be. She won't stop until this galaxy is a wasteland._

Jack couldn't help but wonder if he had been right. Would she turn on the Tok'ra next? Maybe the NID for what they had done to her. Or maybe she would feel the need to wipe out every Jaffa and the potential fake gods that swam in their stomachs. Jack had seen images of the devastation on various Goa'uld planets. She had, on occasion, destroyed entire ecosystems, just to get to one Goa'uld.

If she did turn on Earth, could they stop her? Could any of them do what might need to be done? Jack was finally beginning to understand Selmak and what it must have cost her to do what she thought was right. And why Daniel had taken off, placing his hope in some mystical alien test.

Jack's dark thoughts were cut into by the klaxons and Walter's warning voice. "Unauthorized off-world activation!"

He sprinted down the stairs and took up position by Walter's shoulder.

"We are not receiving an IDC, sir," Walter offered.

"Keep that iris shut," Jack ordered needlessly. They all knew the drill by now. Except these days Jack always wondered if it was her on the other end. She knew not to come through, but he still dreaded the sick thud that accompanied the impact of something against the iris.

"Picking up a radio signal, sir," Walter suddenly said, surprise clear in his voice.

"Let's hear it."

"_SGC, come in. This is Daniel Jackson. Do you read?"_

Jack let out a breath with a whoosh and hastily grabbed the mic. "Daniel, where the hell are you?" he demanded without preamble.

There was a moment of nothing but static, but then Daniel's voice was back, heavy with something that Jack couldn't quite identify. _"I'm with Haley."_

Jack was stunned for a moment. "What?"

"_She's made her decision, Jack. You might want to meet us on P4T-833 as soon as possible."_ There was a pause. _"To say goodbye,"_ Daniel finished.

Jack felt his stomach drop. This wasn't the way it was supposed to end. "Daniel-," he started, only to be cut off.

"_Jack. Just get Sam and come quick."_ There was another pause and Jack swore he could hear Daniel sigh. "_Jackson out."_

And with that, the wormhole suddenly blinked out, and the finality of the situation settled on Jack like a lead blanket. He blindly grabbed the first airman that walked by. "Get Colonel Carter here ASAP," he ordered gruffly, strangely unable to tear his eyes off of the silent Stargate.

* * *

Haley sat motionlessly at the foot of the Stargate, absently listening to Daniel's conversation. The majority of her concentration was on the image of surprise on the child's face when her bullet had slammed into him. It was the only thing really holding back the stronger part of her that wanted to scream, 'So what? What does one child really matter? Go back and finish off the father!' The part of her that actually wanted to fire a bullet into Daniel, just so her last tether to complacency and mediocrity would be severed.

But the smaller part of her focused on the image of the child and Daniel's harsh words. _Part of you enjoyed it_. She couldn't deny it. Haley was so tired of being the victim that she relished having the upper hand, being the one who decided life and death. Her fingers itched for a weapon.

The wormhole blinked out and she looked up to find Daniel watching her with deep wariness. She actually managed to feel a small flash of shame that he, of all people, would fear her. That's why she would do it. The Crucible. She did remember all about it. She knew what it entailed and she was terrified of it.

Words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. "Even if I manage to survive, more than likely I will never be able to come back."

Daniel didn't respond; he just nodded mutely, his face drawn and pale.

She felt her heart squeeze. Would he mourn her? Or had she just invented something in her mind that had never existed? And then Haley was staring at him like she was seeing him for the first time since he had hunted her down on P3X-888. "Why did you come, Daniel?"

"We'd better get going," he said, deflecting her question.

"Not yet," she said softly, making a decision. "I want…I want to give you something first."

The suspicion was back in his eyes with force and Haley felt a two-leveled response. Sadness and satisfaction mingled uneasily. The part of her that still cared wanted to weep at that look. But the larger, louder part reminded her that he wasn't good enough for her, for what she was. She was oil and water, separating into layers. She felt it trying to mix once again, to end her confusion, but she fought it down, remembering a blood soaked floor. 'Just a little longer,' she thought, closing her eyes for a moment.

When she opened them again, Daniel had one hand on his zat. "I'm fine," she managed to say. "I don't have a lot of time, though. Please, just let me do this one last thing."

She could see his struggle between wanting to trust her and knowing better. She pushed to her feet and approached him slowly, her hands held wide. "I just need you to know," she said, her voice thick. She must have given something away in her voice or in her expression, because Daniel's eyes softened, almost imperceptibly.

"Haley…"

"I won't hurt you." She could see that part of him wanted to believe that. But as she moved within reach, he pulled his zat. She smiled slightly, glad that he wasn't taking any chances, and put one hand to his temple, closing her eyes.

She started slowly, so as not to startle him. First it was some of her earliest moments with him. Fleeing Baal's mother ship, standing in the sun outside the Mountain together. Mingled with the images were her feelings: friendship and gratitude. How he made her feel safe when everything around her was confusing and new. And then later, how her heart had nearly beat out of her chest when he had held her so gently after her nightmare. He would be able to feel her passion mingled with her fear that she would hurt him. Her disgust at herself, her feelings of unworthiness. The way part of her seemed to extinguish when he had left her to go off world. All of this, she carefully poured into his mind.

Mentally she pulled slowly back and opened her eyes. She could feel the zat pressing against her stomach, but Daniel made no move to fire. "I had to let you know…before it was too late," she explained softly, pulling her hand away.

But Daniel grabbed her to stop her withdrawal. "How did you-" he broke off and shook his head. "Is there any way… That is, can I…," he sputtered, uncharacteristically incoherent. He lifted her hand back to his temple and somehow she just knew what he wanted.

"If you're sure," she said uncertainly.

"I'm sure," he said, his voice suddenly steady again.

He lacked the control Haley had and the images were jumbled, nearly incoherent. But she carefully skimmed them as he projected them. She was surprised at the tenderness and his guilt that his feelings were wrong somehow. There was even vague guilt that by caring for another that he was betraying Sha're's memory. But overriding all of it was an undeniable devotion and she had her answer. She knew why he had come after her. Why he would always come after her, no matter what she had done.

"I'm sorry, Daniel," she whispered softly, resting her head against his neck. She knew he understood that she was apologizing, not only for everything that she had done, but for everything that they would never get to do.

His arms went around her and she let herself sink into him for a moment. "No regrets, Haley," he breathed against her hair. He pulled back and pressed one hand to her face, his expression suddenly intense. "If anyone can survive this thing, Haley, it's you. I just know it."

Then his expression softened again. "But just in case…" He leaned slowly in and Haley felt her breath catch in her throat. His lips were soft and undemanding on hers and she wanted to crawl inside the moment and never let go. There was a tenderness there that she had never known.

Even as she abandoned herself to the sensations, though, others began to intrude. Different lips pressing punishingly against hers, accompanied by the metallic taste of blood. Her hands clenched involuntarily and her mind began demanding action. Retribution.

Daniel must have sensed the shift, because he pulled away, concern on his face. Haley felt one renegade tear crawl down her cheek. "I'm out of time," she whispered.

He brushed one hand tenderly against her face before stepping back and re-aiming the zat at her, his expression one of grim acceptance. He dialed the gate, never turning his back on her, guarded wariness in his eyes once more.

* * *

Jack and Sam were already waiting for them on P4T-827 when they got there. They seemed a little shocked to see Haley emerge first with Daniel closely behind, zat trained on her.

Seeing them again shook Haley to the core. Her softer feelings for them were being quickly submerged by darker images of the things they had suffered and the things they had inflicted on others. Haley briefly wondered how she could have been stupid enough to give Daniel her weapons and her personal shield. It wouldn't take much to get them back, though.

"Haley," Daniel said sharply as if he knew the turn her thoughts had taken.

Haley took a deep breath and nodded, fighting the anger. "In my pack…a red composition book." Daniel nodded and dug through her bag, finally pulling the requested item out and passing it cautiously to Haley.

Haley pressed the journal into Sam's hands. "This should make everything…better," she said somewhat stiffly.

Sam reached out to touch Haley, but she jerked away. Everything was just too tenuous. She tried to ignore the pain on her mother's face. "You know…," she started inarticulately, unable to really express her feelings.

"We know," Jack broke in firmly, one arm tightly around Sam.

Haley nodded, grateful for once that he could read her so well. She stopped a few steps away and turned back to them. "Promise me something."

Jack nodded.

"Don't wait too long. You're not going to find anything more important than each other." Sam's eyes widened for a moment, but Jack nodded.

"I promise."

Haley nodded and moved back to Daniel's side. He held out the three black stones to her. Her hand trembled as she reached for them, her fingers briefly tangling with his. "Thanks, Daniel," she said quietly.

Daniel briefly squeezed her hand and then stepped away, his eyes never leaving hers.

Haley stepped up to the portal, her feet dragging as if they were encased in lead. The three stones fit easily into the waiting grooves and then the granite wall began to slowly shift and swirl, eventually settling into a glassy black surface the size of a doorway. As Haley raised one hand towards it, she couldn't stop shaking. Fear swirled in her stomach, her mouth dry.

'Sentimental weakness!' part of her railed. In her mind's eye, she could clearly see how easy it would be to disable to the three of them. How easy it would be to escape. She didn't need to do this. She had nothing to prove. There was nothing wrong with her. Her hand began to drop back to her side when she heard the unmistakable sound of a zat gun readying itself to fire. Daniel wasn't giving her a choice.

"Don't." His voice was hard and flat.

It was the uncontrollable anger that finally pushed her forward, at the last second. She wanted to punish him for thinking he could tell her what to do. She didn't need weapons to do it either, her hands were all she needed. Didn't they understand her greatness? She was a goddess; they were mere mortals. She was better than all of them.

She turned away from the portal, her eyes flowing over the people watching her. Her family. Weakness. She wanted to rid herself of them. Her hands tightened reflexively and her eyes met Daniel's. He didn't have it in him to fire on her. He was soft.

She managed to take one step forward before he proved her wrong. "I'm sorry, Haley," he said softly, and then he fired.

There was pain and she was falling. Her back touched something liquid and cloying. It was pulling her in. She struggled for a moment, but then her eyes met Daniel's. He was staring at her, stricken. She remembered the feel of his lips on hers, his thoughts mingling with hers. Giving him an infinitesimal smile, she relaxed into the grip of the portal, surrendering. And then there was cold blackness.

* * *

Three months later, they all began to accept that Haley really wasn't coming back. No one knew what to feel about that. It was almost like the strange limbo they had all been in after Daniel's ascension. None of them wanted to believe that she was dead, but they also knew that she would never come back.

So, while Sam certainly mourned her loss, at the same time, she didn't feel the same dark hopelessness as last time. Maybe because she could convince herself that Haley was better off, no matter where she was. Perhaps a harsh thought from a mother, but she knew what her daughter had struggled with. Maybe in the end Shifu had been right. There was no way to win the battle; the only way was to avoid it entirely. And whether dead, or saved by some far-off aliens, she was hopefully free of the battle.

Sam was aware enough, however, to realize that Jack was probably the main reason she had avoided complete despair. He had kept his promises. He hadn't turned away from Sam this time. They mourned together.

They had all spent two weeks at Jack's cabin immediately after returning from P4T-833. Daniel had looked so wretched that Jack hadn't even had the heart to yell at him for running off without permission. Instead, he had ordered them all out to the cabin. The galaxy would be safe enough without them for a while.

It had been a quiet two weeks for the team as everyone tried to reconcile everything that had happened over the last few years. It was a strange feeling, to know that the central goal of their lives for the last ten years was finally within reach. The Goa'uld would never threaten the galaxy again. During their downtime, they all made some important decisions in face of this.

Teal'c struggled with his decision to leave the Tau'ri. He was in a unique position to be able to help his people redefine their lives outside of the dictates of false gods. They needed him, just as the SGC had needed him for the last decade. His place was clearly with his people now. Jack, Sam, and Daniel could not begrudge him that, no matter how much they would miss their friend, their brother.

As for Daniel, he seemed to have reached a strange sort of peace. Sure, he still had some dark moments, where he was downright morose, but in general, he was philosophical about the changes in their lives. One night at the cabin as they all sat quietly around the fireplace, he decided that he didn't need to go through the gate anymore.

When Sam had protested, he just gently reminded her that he wasn't a soldier. Circumstances had forced him to take up the mantle of a warrior, but he had never wanted it. Sam couldn't help but remember Daniel back in the beginning, holding a gun awkwardly, preferring to grin widely and give strangers the benefit of the doubt. Always quietly determined to save his wife, to right wrongs.

Somewhere along the line, Daniel had hardened and weapons began to fill his hands with ease. The change should have bothered Sam more, but they had all been too busy to really notice. Looking at him now, though, Sam knew he was right. War took too much away from him, bit by bit. They needed him to not be a warrior. He was their soul. She wondered if seeing what anger and vengeance had done to Haley had finally been the last straw. It was time for Daniel to put down his gun.

In the middle of such change, Sam made one more discovery that altered everything. After five days of talking and relaxing at the cabin, Sam was beginning to lose her mind from boredom. She pulled out the journal Haley had pressed into her hands, unsure of what she might find, but knowing that she couldn't put if off forever. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, letters perhaps, or explanations for the things she had done, confessions of love and affection. It contained none of those things. Instead, it was filled with compact writing and drawings that made no sense to Sam.

For the next week, she studied the pages endlessly (whenever Jack wasn't demanding that she put it down and do _anything_ else for a while). Their last night, while Daniel was fixing dinner, Sam finally understood what she had been looking at. It hit her like a bolt of lightening.

"Oh my god," she swore softly, hands to her mouth, journal tumbling haphazardly into her lap.

"Colonel Carter?" Teal'c asked in concern.

But Sam just continued to stare at the open pages.

Then Jack was kneeling in front of her, glancing at the pages incomprehensibly. "Carter?" he asked gently, reaching out and touching her arm.

Sam's eyes snapped up to his. "Jack," she said intensely. "I know what this is."

No one mentioned her slip up; instead they all just clustered around her, concerned that she might have finally lost it.

Sam looked at all their faces, so full of concern and began to laugh hysterically.

"What is it, Sam?" Daniel asked quietly, watching Sam with alarm.

Daniel looked so worried that Sam grabbed his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "I'm okay. It's just…" She held up the journal. "It's a ZPM. They're schematics for building ZPMs."

That had been two and a half months ago. Sam had already managed, with the help of the schematics and their careful, almost child-like explanations, to build a working prototype. Sure, she had to rewrite a dozen known laws of physics along the way, but she had done it nonetheless. Thanks to Haley's last gift, Atlantis had been bolstered with much needed supplies and manpower and Earth now had an operational defense system.

Sam, for the last three days straight, had been working on the next generation of ZPMs that could be easily adapted to more traditional forms of human technology. Early one morning, after another long night spent in her lab, she was startled by a soft knock on her door. Looking up from the prototype in front of her she saw Jack leaning casually against her door. All thoughts of the ZPM fled and she jumped to her feet.

"Sir," Sam said with a smile, dizzily glad to see him after a two week absence. "When did you get back from Washington?"

"Just now," he said, returning her smile lazily.

As glad as she was to see him, something in his face made Sam's eyes narrow automatically. He was up to something, she was sure of it. But then he had pushed off of the doorframe and grabbed a pen from her desk, playing with it absently.

"You've kept yourself busy," he noted, gesturing at the half-dismantled prototype on her desk.

"Yes, sir," she answered slowly, still eying him suspiciously. When he continued to fiddle, Sam decided she needed more intelligence to figure out what exactly he had up his sleeve. "How was your trip?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Oh, you know how I love pomp and diplomacy," he said playfully.

Yes, she did, which was why the wide smile on his face and the general sense of self-satisfaction were so unnerving. Maybe he was just as glad to be home. The thought brought her smile back.

But then Jack oh-so-casually turned and closed the door to her lab. Sam's eyebrows shot up.

"Sir?" she asked uncertainly, praying that she had just imagined the small squeak in her voice.

Jack smiled softly and moved closer to her. "I missed you, Carter."

Sam almost forgot the weirdness of the shut door for a moment in the flush of happiness that warmed her body at his uncharacteristic confession. But then her back abruptly made contact with the counter behind her. She hadn't even been aware of slowly retreating as he moved continuously towards her.

When he was easily within reach of her she managed to squeak out, "Sir, what are you doing?"

"Keeping my promise," he replied softly, reaching for her face.

It was only in that moment that Sam finally registered that Jack was wearing civvies. Nice khakis with a white t-shirt and that leather jacket that she had always admired on him. Ripping her thoughts away from the inappropriate topic of her CO's state of dress, she wondered the probability that he could have been infected by an alien virus on his trip. Or maybe she had?

"And don't call me that," he continued, interrupting her internal dialogue.

His hands were now on her face, one of them absently tucking a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. "Sir?" she asked again, unnerved by his odd behavior.

"Yeah, that," he said with a slow smile spreading across his face. "You see any stars on my clothes?"

Her addled brain was slowly catching up to what was happening to her. The trip to Washington, civvies, and a shit-eating grin. That all equaled one thing. "You retired," she accused, her eyes narrowing once again.

He nodded once, clearly bemused. "Official as of last night at midnight."

"You can't." She hadn't meant for the words to come out so harsh, but she was more than a little overwhelmed at the moment.

Jack dropped his hands and sighed, but didn't move away from her. "Why not? Carter, the Goa'uld are done, the Replicators a distant memory and we have a fully functional Ancient defense system that we can now power indefinitely, thanks to you. When, exactly, do you think would be a better time?"

They were all very logical reasons and Sam couldn't fault them. Six months ago she had completely prepared herself for his retirement, before everything went to hell. But their chance was here now. The waiting could be over, if she wanted it. _You're not going to find anything more important than each other._ It really was great advice.

A slow smile spread over Sam's face. Jack relaxed in response, probably glad that he wasn't going to have to fight her about this. Then that self-satisfied smirk was back and a dangerous gleam was in his eye. Sam found she didn't mind so much anymore.

"I was wondering if you could help me with something, Carter," Jack said, his face suddenly serious.

"What would that be?" asked Sam, not really finding it as hard to drop the honorifics as she thought it would be.

"Well, you see," he said, pulling Sam a little closer, "I was really sick a couple years ago. Almost died and everything." His tone was still serious, but something mischievous lurked in his eyes.

"Really?" Sam replied, trying to ignore the annoying fluttering in her stomach.

"Yeah. Apparently I lost a lot of very important memories."

"That sounds terrible," Sam said with mock sympathy.

Jack nodded solemnly in agreement. His hands slid slowly down her back to rest at her waist. "Care to help jog my memory?"

Sam smiled wickedly and leaned in towards him, her lips close to his ear. She could feel his hands reflexively tighten against her back. Then she breathed, softly against his neck, "I thought you'd never ask."

Jack let out a soft groan and, heedless of security cameras, very thoroughly kissed Sam senseless.

Someday had finally come.


	21. Home

Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Home  
Author: Annerb  
Warnings: Minor language, fluffy fluffiness  
Summary: Epilogue (Yes, that means it's the END:)  
Classifications: Series, Drama, Romance  
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)  
Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: Wow, I can't believe this is it. You, my faithful readers, have made this all worth it. I hope this will make you all happy, without ruining the mood of the story. I also shamelessly borrow (_cough_steal _cough_) from Frank Herbert's _Dune_ and the Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear. What can I say, I just love it. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery or something, right:) I hope this fluff is reward enough for sticking with me…:) If you hate fluff, just pretend the this epilogue doesn't exist. Montage and Triptnx, my endlessly patient and enthusiastic betas: I am forever in your debt :)

Feedback: Always appreciated!

**_Part 21: Home_**

_Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart._ – Marcus Aurelius

* * *

"Good morning, Earth! Happy Disclosure Day! Today marks the five year anniversary of the de-classification of the Stargate Program that sent shockwaves throughout the galaxy. In this broadcast we will revisit the events that lead to that amazing revelation: the defeat of the Goa'uld and the reinvention of the Ancient power source by Colonel Samantha Carter! Also, we will take a look at where the major players in the Goa'uld War are now. We will also check in with major celebrations all over the United Planets this week! 

"First up, Ron Segal reports on our favorite heroes, the infamous SG-1! Ron."

"Thank you, Jennifer. I caught up recently with the original commander of SG-1, former General Jack O'Neill. Credited not only with the defeat of countless Goa'uld lords, O'Neill also forged relations with Thor, the Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet, while leading the Stargate Program's premiere exploratory unit.

"As we all know by now, he is a bit camera-shy, but we ran in to him, of all places, at the local supermarket!"

"Really, Ron. How interesting! What was he buying?"

"Well, Jennifer, I got a pretty clear view of some double chocolate fudge ice cream and jello in his basket."

/Polite laughter/

"We don't have to guess who that might be for."

/Dry chuckle/

"Right you are, Jennifer.

"Anyway, O'Neill was in a bit of a hurry, I'm sure it was something of galactic importance. He is, after all, chairman of Stargate Galactic Station, the centerpiece of the United Planets Association on Earth.

"He seemed surprised to hear that it had been five years already since Disclosure Day. Before he, um, politely told me he was too busy for an interview, I did hear him mutter that he was 'getting too old for this.'"

/Polite laughter and image of O'Neill abruptly ducking into the nearest aisle to escape cameras/

"He's quite a character, isn't he, Ron."

"You said it, Jennifer."

"Did you manage to get in touch with Colonel Carter?"

"Unfortunately, I didn't. Colonel Samantha Carter, the leading Stargate expert on Earth, if not the galaxy, spent 10 years on SG-1, discovering a wide variety of amazing technologies and defeating her own fair share of enemies along the way. Remember, she once blew up a sun!"

"And saved the Asgard home world from the Replicators, Ron."

"Who could forget that?

/Polite laughter/

"Well, these days Colonel Carter isn't running around the Galaxy. She is now head of the Research and Development Sector that is a joint venture between Cheyenne University and Stargate Galactic Station. She is the only person to ever win three consecutive Nobel Prizes for her work in Physics!"

/Image of Carter holding Nobel Prize in Dress Blues/

"Don't forget that she has also won a spot on People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People for five years running!"

"Right you are, Jennifer. Let's move on to the next member of SG-1, who also has a permanent spot on the 50 Most Beautiful People list. A man often said to be the galaxy's most eligible bachelor, Dr. Daniel Jackson! As an archaeologist and cultural expert, Dr. Jackson was the moral compass of SG-1 for ten years. After tragically losing his wife to the Goa'uld, he dedicated his life to making the galaxy safe.

/Image of Jackson in a tuxedo in an art gallery/

"Dr. Jackson, the most reclusive member of SG-1, relocated off world four years ago, to the beautiful planet Elysium, one of the first Terran colonies. He is now Head of Cultural Affairs at Heliopolis, the Elysian University dedicated to the study of the galaxy's cultures and languages.

"No word yet if he will be putting in an appearance at this week's Gala celebration."

"What about Master Teal'c?"

"Yes, Jennifer, we have word that Master Teal'c will be visiting Earth this week as a representative of the Jaffa Free Nation. Master Teal'c, as we all know, was the fourth member of SG-1. After turning against the false god Apophis, Teal'c swore his loyalty to Earth and served as a role model for Rebel Jaffa everywhere! These days, he makes his home on Chulak where he serves on the Council of Elders and spends time with his ever growing family."

/Image of Teal'c staring rather frighteningly into the camera/

"He doesn't quite look old enough to be a grandfather, does he?"

"The wonders of tretonin, Jennifer."

/Polite laughter/

"Thank you for that report, Ron."

"My pleasure, Jennifer."

"And now we join Mary Cho, who is outside Cheyenne University with Cassandra Fraiser. Mary?"

/Video feed of Cassie with reporter/

"I'm here with Cassandra Fraiser from the Terran Peace Corps, the program dedicated to helping previously subjugated planets rebuild their economies and societies after the fall of the Goa'uld. Ms. Fraiser, tell us about the work you are doing these days."

"Well, for Disclosure Day this year, I am working on encouraging young people to dedicate some time off-world to help those peoples who are less fortunate. The Goa'uld may no longer plague this galaxy, but their legacy lives on in the form of illiteracy, decimated ecosystems and poor standards of living on many planets. We all have a responsibility to help our brothers and sisters rebuild. Plus, it can be a lot of fun, getting to travel and meet new people."

"As an alien yourself, whose entire population was wiped out by the Goa'uld, does Disclosure Day hold special resonance for you?"

"For me, Disclosure Day is not about the end of the Goa'uld, but about the new beginnings afforded to countless millions under the thumb of the Goa'uld. Dwelling on the unpleasant aspects of the past won't help us move forward. We should remember those who were lost along the way, and work to make the Galaxy better in honor of their sacrifices."

"Well put, Ms. Fraiser. We appreciate you giving us some of your valuable time. Back to you, Jennifer."

"Thanks, Mary. Up next, an update from Atlantis on the battle against the Wraith and Cindy Westerfield will give us the latest on Celebrity Watch! Is there the pitter patter of little feet on the way for Samantha Carter and Jack O'Neill? Stay tuned!"

"How can you watch that crap?" broke in Jack as he flopped himself down on the couch next to Sam.

"Cassie was on," Sam said with a smile as she took in Jack's rumpled hair and grumpy expression.

Jack merely grunted in reply.

"Coffee?" Sam offered, pushing up from the couch. She didn't get far though; Jack already had his arms around her and was pulling her back so that they ended up in a tangle on the couch.

"I didn't get to say 'good morning' yet," Jack mumbled with a smile, pressing a kiss to her neck.

Sam let out a small contented sigh and tilted her head to give him better access.

"That was a great shot of you in the supermarket, by the way," Sam teased.

"Is it my fault that I'm just so damn popular?"

In the background, the broadcast had returned from a commercial break and two women were now avidly gossiping about the strange combination of ice cream and jello in Jack's cart at the supermarket.

"For cryin' out loud!" Jack groaned in protest. "Maybe Daniel had the right idea, getting the hell off this rock."

"Is this the retirement speech, Jack? 'Cause I seem to remember hearing that one a few times before."

"Is it really my fault that this damn world can't function without me?"

Sam chuckled and lazily ran one hand under Jack's shirt, her fingers splaying across his abs.

"Carter," Jack complained. "That is not the way to make sure that I make it to my meeting on time."

Sam smiled; she loved it when he called her Carter. She sent her other hand on similar explorations. "I seem to recall that you started this, Jack. Plus, isn't that one of the perks of being the Chairman? It's not like they're going to start without you."

Jack grinned widely. "Have I ever told you that I love the way your brilliant mind works, my little evil genius?"

He didn't even bother to reprimand her when she giggled.

* * *

A couple of hours and one late meeting later, Jack and Sam were at the Stargate pavilion to meet Teal'c and Ishta who were supposed to come through that morning. While the Stargate was now public knowledge and used by the population at large under civilian control, it was still guarded by an international coalition of soldiers. The Goa'uld might have been a distant memory, but none of them, least of all Chairman O'Neill, were foolish enough to ignore the other possible threats. 

IDCs now replaced tickets and various tourists, exploratory teams, students, dignitaries and academics routinely traveled throughout the galaxy. The iris still kept unwelcome guests from appearing on Earth. But it had been quite a while since anyone with hostile intentions had tried to access Earth through the Stargate. But Jack insisted on diligence.

As they stood there waiting, Jack's precautions were proving useful, if not completely effective.

"Unauthorized incoming traveler," called out an automated computer system. The iris automatically shut over the face of the wormhole only to slide open again.

Easily slipping into old habits, Jack barked, "Get that iris closed, airman!"

A few technicians were scrambling around, punching various commands into the computers, but it didn't seem to be responding. The iris remained open but nothing came through. With a flash of light, however, the event horizon began to swirl and the blue light gradually turned glassy-black.

"What the hell?" Jack muttered. He was just about to order a general evacuation of civilians when two figures emerged from the still, black surface.

They wore long blue robes and had hoods pulled up over their heads. The figure on the left took a few steps forward. One slender hand pushed back the hood to reveal a striking woman. At least Sam assumed it was a woman. Her skin was deep blue and seemed to almost shimmer in the bright light of the embarkation room. Long locks of white hair flowed from intricate knots and braids on the crown of her head. Her eyes were the deepest black.

"I bring greetings from the Sisterhood of Shakti Duvai," the woman said, her voice heavily laced with an earthy accent. She calmly surveyed the room. "We carry no weapons," she said spreading her hands wide.

"Stand down," Jack ordered the guards before he stepped forward cautiously. "I'm Jack O'Neill, chairman of this facility."

"I am Niyati," she replied, inclining her head in greeting. "I have come to return something that is yours," she said, gesturing to the figure behind her.

The figure in question slowly stepped forward and pushed back her hood. It took a moment for Sam to actually register who she was looking at. She had changed so much. She had aged at least a decade and a flash of white now mingled in her brown hair that was carefully styled like Niyati's. Her face seemed worn, but it was definitely Haley. There could be no doubt.

Silence hung heavily over the room and Haley made no move to speak.

"Sister Asha," Niyati said, causing Haley to turn and look at her. "The time has come to step out of your cloister. Know always your weaknesses and have faith in your strengths. Never submit to fear. Make the path your own, my daughter."

"So it will be," Haley replied softly, crossing her arms over her chest and bowing her head.

Niyati placed her hands on either side of Haley's head and gently touched their foreheads together.

After a long moment, Niyati pulled away with a soft smile on her face. "Be well," she said, before touching a device on her arm.

The Stargate flashed into life once more, its surface inky and calm. Everyone turned to watch the graceful alien walk up to the event horizon. She disappeared into the blackness and the Stargate blinked back out.

Haley stood, still isolated at the base of the Stargate, her back to the watching crowd.

"Sister Asha?" Sam finally said uncertainly.

Haley slowly turned around. "Yes, that is what they call me." She took a few steps closer to Jack and Sam. "It means 'hope.'"

Sam reached out one hand and after the slightest hesitation, Haley took hold of it.

"You're really here," Sam said softly.

"Yeah," Haley answered with a small smile.

Sam reached out with her other hand and touched the white streak of hair next to Haley's temple. "Was it horrible?"

"It was…what it needed to be. And it still is."

Jack cocked an eyebrow at the vague statement and Haley smiled softly in response.

"It didn't 'fix' me. I was just offered another way of doing things. And I work at it, every day." Her voice was calm and even.

Jack gestured vaguely towards Haley's head. "Is everything still, ya know?" he asked rather inarticulately.

"It is a part of me and it always will be." She suddenly looked rather unsure of herself, glancing around at the crowd that continued to grow around them. "Can you accept that?" she asked softly.

Jack grabbed Haley's free hand and pulled her into a hug. "Of course we can." He met Sam's eyes over the head of their daughter.

Jack eventually pulled back and let Sam grab Haley into a hug. "I just have one question," Jack said, his eyes twinkling.

Haley nodded, looking rather uncertain.

"Sister?" Jack asked.

Haley smiled. "Yes. That is my title within the Sisterhood."

"As in nun?"

"Well, yes, I guess that's the best translation," Haley said, raising one eyebrow at him in confusion.

"Sweet," was all Jack said, and Sam smacked him in the arm in response.

"What?" Jack said in mock indignation, rubbing at his arm.

Haley was looking between the two of them with bemusement, her eyes lingering on the plain band on Sam's left hand. "It's about time," was all she said.

* * *

They managed to get Haley to Jack's house with little incident, but soon enough there were reporters camping outside, all curious as to the 'aliens' that had come through the gate earlier today. But Jack was not without friends and he had a sweet little force-shield from Thor that kept people off the property. 

"Sorry about this, Haley," Sam said, coming up behind Haley as she stared out the window. "Everyone's a little Stargate crazy these days."

Haley just shrugged, a bit unnerved by the attention. "I suppose you just get used to it."

The doorbell rang and Haley turned rather quickly to see Cassie coming in the front door.

"Haley!" she squealed, grabbing the other woman into a fierce hug.

"Cass," she replied, squeezing her back, a little overwhelmed by everything.

"Is that Cass?" Jack called from the kitchen. "Tell her to get her butt in here and help me with lunch!"

Cassie smiled and rolled her eyes. "Duty calls," she said wryly before disappearing into the kitchen.

Haley turned back to look out the front window, remembering to take careful deep breaths.

"He's not here," Sam said quietly from behind her.

Haley didn't see any point in playing dumb. "But he's okay," she replied, without turning from the window.

"More or less," Sam answered. "This," Sam said, waving vaguely at the people surrounding the house, "got to him. He couldn't stand the constant limelight."

"I can understand that," Haley said earnestly.

A little too earnestly, Sam thought. "You're wishing you hadn't come back."

"No," Haley said quickly. "I just didn't expect this. It's a little overwhelming."

Sam came up to stand next to Haley, their shoulders gently touching. "Maybe you could get away for a while, until this dies down."

"Where?"

"There's a nice quiet planet called Elysium," Sam offered with a smile.

"Elysium?" Haley asked suspiciously.

"Yeah. I'm sure Daniel would put you up for a few days."

"Sam…," Haley said warningly.

"You can't avoid him forever and something tells me that you don't want to anyway."

Haley didn't bother to disagree. She sighed and looked out the window again. "I'm just not sure I can face him, after everything I've done."

"Do you really think he wouldn't understand?"

"No, I know he will. And that's what scares me."

Sam dropped an arm around Haley and squeezed her gently. "Never submit to fear. Isn't that what Niyati said?"

Haley nodded.

"Smart woman," Sam commented.

The next day, Haley stepped through the wormhole to find herself on a beautiful ocean planet. The Stargate sat on a large cliff overlooking a seemingly endless sea. Haley took a deep breath and tasted the salt air on her tongue.

"Welcome to Elysium," greeted a young woman.

Haley smiled at her. "Your world is beautiful."

"Thank you," she replied graciously. "Would you care for an escort to the city?"

Haley nodded, seeing the skyline of a small city in the distance. "I'm here to speak to the head of Cultural Affairs."

"Of course," the woman said, smiling widely. "I will have someone show you the way."

Haley took a deep breath and silently chanted to herself. _Fear is the mind-killer, I will not fear…_

_

* * *

_

At the sound of approaching footsteps, Daniel pulled further back into the garden. He had hoped that Elysium would offer him some relative privacy. While it certainly was better than on Earth, he still had days were he felt like there just wasn't enough of him to go around. Not that he didn't love his work. Every day brought new visitors and new interesting cultures and artifacts. But a part of him would always long for the obscurity of the old days. He almost laughed, thinking about how he used to wish he could tell everyone who ever thought he was crazy that he had actually been right. Now that they all knew, he would rather that they still thought him insane.

"Dr. Jackson!" called the familiar voice of his aide. "You have a visitor from Earth!"

Daniel let out a long breath. He could only hope that Jack or Sam had managed to get some time off to visit. He couldn't really think of anyone else he would want to see.

He spied Stephan standing on the back lawn with a tall woman dressed in long blue robes that seemed to almost iridesce in the sun. She must be warm in all that cloth, Daniel thought inanely as he approached, noting the sun beating down on her. The woman lifted her face to the sun for a moment, in an eerily familiar motion. Daniel only managed two more steps towards the figure before he stopped dead, his heart threatening to pound its way out of his chest.

It couldn't be, he told himself, just a trick of the imagination. Daniel had often caught glimpses of her in a crowd, only to find upon inspection that he had been mistaken.

But now she stood solidly in front of him, only mere paces away. Her hair was elaborately knotted at the crown and the rest cascaded in long waves down her back. A bright streak of white hair flowed from her right temple. Her eyes bored into him, the same fathomless blue that he remembered. He wasn't sure how long he stood there; staring at what he was sure was an apparition.

Finally she took one step towards him. "Daniel," she said softly.

Suddenly Daniel's legs had rediscovered mobility and he covered the distance between them, not stopping until she was in his arms.

"When? How? Why?" Daniel whispered in rapid succession. Then he shook his head before she could answer, "Never mind. I don't care."

She laughed softly against his chest. "I like your planet," she said quietly.

"I knew you would."

Daniel pulled slightly back so that he could look at her face. He could see she was nervous and slightly unsure.

Daniel smiled and touched her face, tracing new lines and old scars, still trying to convince himself that this wasn't a dream. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

The smile dropped from Haley's face and she suddenly looked centuries older. She had always been able to do that, to switch from a careless young woman to a wizened ancient in the space of a heartbeat. "There are so many things that can't be changed. The past will always be there, but the future… I didn't choose my path. I can only choose how I walk it."

"And who you walk it with?" Daniel asked softly.

Startled eyes flew to meet Daniel's. "I…It wouldn't be easy…everyday is still a battle."

"Nothing worth having is ever easy, Haley. And before you even ask: yes, this is worth it."

"I don't deserve it," she said in a small voice.

"Yes, you do," Daniel said with quiet intensity, his hands on either side of her face. "You are the most amazing person I have ever known. You are a good, kind, caring, beautiful woman and if it takes the rest of my life to convince you of that, I'll do it gladly."

Haley's eyes now sparkled with tears. "Daniel…," she said in a heavy voice.

"Please, Haley. Stay here with me."

The silence between them stretched long, but Daniel was aware of nothing but her. Then a horrible thought occurred to Daniel. It _had_ been a long time; maybe she didn't want this anymore, if she ever had.

He tried to gently pull away. "It's okay, Haley. If you don't want-"

But then her fingers were against his lips, silencing him. "Some things never change, Daniel," she said softly, bringing his hand against her chest. He could feel the frantic beat of her heart beneath his fingers.

"Then what is it?"

"I wanted to hurt you. That part of me didn't magically disappear."

"You're not perfect, Haley. And no one expects you to be."

"I can't ever have children," she blurted out in a rush, looking embarrassed. Daniel only had time to stare at her in confusion before she continued on. "I won't. I won't bring another like me into this existence. And even if somehow we could guarantee that they wouldn't be like me…after Jonathan and the others…" She broke off and Daniel could feel a soft shudder wrack her frame. "I just can't ever go through that again."

"I can understand that, Haley," Daniel reassured, his heart aching for her.

But then Haley was shaking her head and pushing away. "You deserve more, Daniel. A chance at a real, normal life."

"A normal life? Haley, I live on an alien planet! What exactly is normal about that?" Daniel asked incredulously, pacing back and forth. "What's normal about exiling yourself from your home planet because you can't stand the constant pressure of the press? What's normal about choosing your new world purely on the fact that you just know, without a shadow of doubt, that the woman you're in love with would just adore it? Even knowing she would probably never get a chance to see it?"

Daniel stopped pacing and looked up at Haley's face. She looked more than a little stunned. He gave into the urge to pull her back into his arms. "You _are_ the one normal thing in my life, Haley. The one thing that makes sense. I don't want to let go of you again."

Letting out a long breath, she finally relaxed into his embrace. "When I knew I was coming back, part of me really hoped that I would find that you had moved on. That maybe you had forgotten," she confessed softly.

"I didn't. I'm not even sure I was aware of doing it, but all I've been doing is waiting."

"Daniel…"

"Stay with me," Daniel asked again, his eyes intense.

This time there was no hesitation. "Yes."

This time, when he kissed her, there was only Haley and Daniel. Nothing else intruded.

They spent the next few days exploring the city, sharing stories and learning to be just Daniel and Haley, together. They walked the endless beaches and Haley hesitantly pointed out a spot that she thought would be perfect for a small temple. Maybe she could teach people the ways of the Shakti Duvai, if they wished to learn. Daniel thought it was a great idea and listened eagerly to the history and philosophy of Niyati and her people.

"I should go back tomorrow," Haley said softly one evening as they watched the sun set.

"Yeah," Daniel nodded.

Haley leaned her head on Daniel's shoulder and his hand began to absently play with her hair. "How long has it been since you've been back to Earth?"

"Almost two years."

"You don't have to come."

He grabbed her hand. "Of course I'll go with you."

"But the press…"

Daniel shrugged. "I can handle them for a few days."

"And Jack?" Haley asked with a small smile.

"Might as well get it over with," Daniel said with a grin. "At least we've got Sam on our side."

"Yeah," she said absently. Then she sat up and stuck out her pinkie finger. "Okay, two days at the most and then we come back home. And we stick together the whole time, watching each other's back."

Daniel almost laughed the way she made it sound like a mission into hostile territory or something. And he didn't miss the fact that she had called Elysium home. "It's a deal," he said, twisting his pinkie around hers, pact made. Then he tugged her back into his arms and watched the fading colors in the sky.

First thing the next morning, they walked through the Stargate together, hands determinedly clasped. Sam and Jack were waiting for them and the room was blessedly free of press and people. Jack didn't waste any time with pleasantries.

"Daniel," Jack immediately said in a stern voice, eying their entwined hands. "My daughter has been on your planet for three days."

"Yeah, sounds about right, Jack," Daniel said lightly, not willing to be intimidated by Jack.

Jack's eyes narrowed. "Three days. _My_ daughter. The _nun_."

Daniel's mouth dropped open. "Uh…nun?" he said uncertainly, turning to Haley.

Haley was valiantly trying to suppress a smile. She then coughed awkwardly and Daniel raised one eyebrow at her.

Haley smiled and clarified with a slight blush. "Not _that_ kind of nun."

Daniel looked distinctly relieved. "Good thing," he said.

Jack groaned and covered his ears. "This is _so_ wrong on so many levels," he complained loudly.

Sam just patted Jack sympathetically on the arm and shared a knowing smile with her daughter. "Just to be clear, Daniel," Sam said sternly, "this does _not_ mean that you can call me Mom."

Haley laughed softly into Daniel's shoulder and he knew without a doubt that he was probably grinning like an idiot. But he just couldn't bring himself to care.

* * *

Jack's grumbling didn't instantly stop, but he seemed to settle into a routine of grumpily razzing Daniel every once and a while. Haley could tell that he didn't really mind; he just couldn't pass up on giving his best friend a hard time. 

Jack hosted a barbeque for them. It was the first time all of the original SG-1 had been together in a long time. Haley was watching Teal'c's grandkids run around in the backyard, their foreheads blessedly clear of the marks of slavery. She couldn't help but see in them all the children who had come before, the ones who had never known such bliss.

Her heart began to beat a painful staccato and her hands dug into the wood railing. For a moment, the children's faces blurred unpleasantly into others. Then the sharp prick of splinters against her fingers grounded her again and she took a deep breath.

"Haley?" Daniel asked softly, following her gaze to the children.

Two more breaths and she was able to turn away from the children. "I'm fine," she said with a small smile. Ignoring the sounds of continued play behind her, she instead watched Jack and Sam laughing over at the barbeque with Teal'c. Everything had changed so much, but some things were always the same.

Haley shook her head at the sight. "It's strange to think…all this happened because of one moment of weakness in a dark cave on a far off planet."

Daniel smiled. "Maybe it was fate."

"Things happen for a reason?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

"Yeah, something like that," he said, wrapping one arm around her and kissing her on the temple.

In the distance, they could hear Jack groan in mock disapproval.

* * *

Sam leaned over the railing on the back porch, half-listening to Jack and Daniel banter back and forth, arguing over the proper names of star constellations. She sighed softly; glad to have her family back together again. 

Sam felt someone's gaze on her and looked up to find Haley watching her with a speculative look on her face. She slowly walked up to Sam and placed one hand on Sam's stomach, her eyes closed.

"Haley," Sam asked uncertainly, "what are you doing?"

Haley opened her eyes and smiled. "I'm just saying hello to Grace."

Sam felt her mouth drop open and then slowly placed a hand on her abdomen. She glanced at Jack, who was watching them with a question in his eyes. Then she looked at her daughter and smiled.

"And what does the future hold for her?" Sam asked softly.

Haley looked up, her blue eyes momentarily free of dark shadows. "Whatever she chooses to make of it."

It was a new beginning, for all of them.

**The End!**

**

* * *

**

"'Cause it's a winding road  
I've been walking for a long time  
And I still don't know  
Where it goes  
And it's a long way home  
I've been searching for a long time  
Still have hope  
We're gonna find our way home"

Bonnie Somerville, _Winding Road_


End file.
